Zita
by MuaveLover
Summary: "They say your husband is running around Italia as a wanted assassin!" "Can't you do something about this?" "...I will not acknowledge that my husband is an assassin, not until they show any proof..."
1. Prologue

-Prologue-

It was a warm summer night in the city of Milan. People walked noisily along the stone alleys and birds flapping their wings as they flew to the twilight. Market stalls were now closing and merchants began to retire to their inns.

In one palazzo, an old man was gradually dying from a disease. Surrounding his bed was his seven children and beside him was a private doctor. "Gregorio…my son" the old man whose name was Dario reached out to search for his eldest son, Gregorio came forth and held his father's trembling hand.

"The promise I have yet to fulfill with a dear old friend…must be…done…send word to…your sister and mother in Austria they must…return to Italy…" Dario reached for the bedside table that had a red envelope on top of it. Gregorio took the letter and saw a strange crest on its top right corner.

"Make sure…she gets to know this…" he said and with a smile he closed his eyes forever.

The only female present began crying and the rest of the boys bowed their head down in respect. Gregorio let go of his father's hand and walked up to the servant present, "Take this to Signora Ambra in Austria and make sure she receives it." The servant nodded his head and went off to deliver the letter to the rightful recipient.

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So what do you think? Me and my dearly beloved niece decided to make a story that is particularly going to be an AU or some sort but somehow follows the AC story.  
Now I'm not really sure if I'm gonna continue this not until I finish my other story Lupo in Ascesa: Parte di Eden. But anyways please review and tell me what you think, flames are welcomed since they are opinions too no matter how harsh they can be.

Okay! Now off to the first chapter have fun! :D


	2. The Arrangement

I've been thinking... ToTo and Nene's stories are usually the same. The girl is from this country and then goes home to her native country and then falls in love and then what?  
Well anyways, here's chapter one I hope you enjoy my niece's story since she's also going for some Golden Pen something-whatever.

Note: This takes place months before the Duke of Milan was assassinated. If you don't know what I'm talking about here, go watch Assassin's Creed: Lineage to clear your thoughts.

2nd Note: Galeazzo Maria Sforza had a reputation of being a womanizer so we thought of getting into the mix and what's life like through the eyes of an illegitimate child of his. No, she will not be like Caterina Sforza...

So that's done now go on, read and review. Opinions are needed if I should continue or not. PWEASE!

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Within the confines of the Innere Stadt in Vienna stood a three-floored house painted in a peach yellow color with black windows, a black roof and a fountain with the statue of Venus. Several oak trees lined up the walkway towards the house and birds often visited for the bath and bread crumbs left by the servants outside the kitchen.

There were four primary bedrooms in the house. The mistress' bedroom, the young lady's bedroom and two guest rooms, the rest of the bedrooms were either for the servants or for a travelling merchant. The most astonishing room in the whole house was its inner garden and the tiny fountains made only for the mistress and her daughter. Such luxury, as one would think.

Ambra D'Angelo wife of the recently deceased Dario D'Angelo sat quietly while reading the letter sent by a servant from her husband's house in Milan.

The lady of the manor sighed and looked up at the servant "What is your name child?" she asked him "It's Lucio…madonna" the boy replied "I see…you rest I shall talk to my daughter about this when she returns home from hunting" Ambra said getting up from her seat and walked over to the glass window. "Hunting you say madonna?"

The linden trees served either as protection or an annoyance to both hunter and hunted. Horses stomped on the ground as the hunting group followed the sound of dogs barking from a distance. The stag had escaped their clutches twice and this time they were not going to let go of it.

A moment of silence made everyone uneasy until a bark rang out. A stag jumped out of its hiding place and quickly staggered away however the arrow of the leader had stop its sprint altogether. "That is how you claim a hunt my lady" the instructor said to the young girl beside him. "I see…it's somewhat exciting. Good job Herr Berend" Zita said and held the reins of her horse tightly. Her two bloodhounds, Kuchen and Macaron, panted heavily from the run.

Two servants went down to retrieve the deer and take it back home. "I've heard two days ago that you've impressed a few noblemen with your dance" Berend said "_Ja._ (Yes.) _Das ist zutreffend_ (That's true)" Zita replied to him "Where did you learn all of that?" Zita sighed for a second and fixed her gloves "From my mother and from the lower-class people" she answered. The servants came back with the deer, the arrow pierced its lungs and it could no longer move. "Do you want to go home?" Berend asked quietly "Sure" the hunting group turned around and head back to the city for a job well done.

When they returned Zita noticed a young man standing by the doorway clutching his hat. He was shuddering a bit and looked down at his feet instead then two maids came to assist their young mistress out of her hunting attire. Zita removed her gloves and placed them in the chest one was holding "_Wer ist er?_ (Who is he?)" she asked one of her maids, still eyeing the man by the door. "Apparently young mistress, he is a servant of your father who delivered a message to your mother. He arrived just after you left" Lotte, the young maid said. Zita nodded her head and put her coat into her maid's hand.

Zita headed down to her mother's chambers with a warm smile on her face. She pushed the white doors open and saw her mother sitting on her favorite chair wearing black garbs. Zita had a feeling in her gut that something was not right. Ambra stood up from her seat to hold her daughter. Once she let go, Ambra told her of the news "Your father has died two days ago of smallpox…he required you to read this letter he has sent for you and understand it as his dying wish my daughter…"

With careful hands Zita reopened the letter, the first paragraph was merely a small greeting from her father and as she read the last paragraph she swallowed hard.

"…And so I agree that my youngest daughter Zita D'Angelo will be married to the son of my dearest old friend Giovanni Auditore. Please be noted Ambra that with their marriage it will finally quiet down the rumors of several years ago…"

She looked at her mother worriedly and the letter fell to the floor, "What rumors? Mother, what is this all about?" Zita asked "Zita let me explain-" "_Nein! _(No!) I can't be married to someone I haven't even met!" the hysteric girl exclaimed "This is just not right. It's wrong!" "Zita, calm down and listen to me" Ambra said taking hold of her daughter's shoulders. "If you do this, the family's name will be erased from humiliation. I know of this Giovanni and I have met him before, he is a kind man and I know his son will be a good husband-" "But this is unfair mother!" Zita said and she looked down at the floor and her mother's feet. "I know it is early for you but you must try to understand that if you marry him, we will not be ashamed anymore" Ambra said almost calming her daughter.

"Just what is this rumor father speaks of?" Ambra sighed and walked over to pick up the letter from the floor. "Long ago, two years after I bore your brother Jovanni there was a party hosted by the Duke of Milan and I was with Dario. There I met the son of the Duke…he was six years younger than I and I was married but he was persistent until the day came that he violated me…He made it as a guise of an invitation to tea and on 1462 you were born. Rumors began to spread that you were his daughter and I was so afraid he might take you away from me. With the consent of your father and my mother, I fled bringing you with me here in Vienna" Ambra faced her daughter sighing. Zita bit her lip and glanced back up at her mother "How could he? He was the son of the duke yet he…oh mother" she wrapped her arms around her mother's form and wept quietly.

"I'm just glad that you show no features of that man. All I see is your father in you" Ambra smiled, Zita forced a smile but returned to a frown "Now do what you must in order to restore nobility back in the family" the young girl couldn't help but nod, finally giving up of any chance of fighting back. "I'll have the maids prepare your things for the travel back to Milan. Tomorrow you are going to be an Italian once again" "I'll try mother" Zita said. Ambra smiled widely and kissed her daughter's forehead, "Lucio will be at your side throughout the travel, he will be able to help you around Milan" Zita nodded at her mother's instruction and looked back to see the young man from before. She walked up to him and hugged him "Thank you for being here" she said and stepped back after.

The mother and daughter had dinner in the inner gardens enjoying tafelspitz and a glass of wine. "I hope you still remember know how to speak Italian dear, not all people in Milan know German language" Ambra told her "I can remember a bit mother but I'm just not sure whether I pronounce it right…" Zita said chewing on her dinner and gulped it down with the wine. "There is no harm in trying mio caro. (my darling.) Try to remember some when you were a little girl." Zita thought hard then shook her head at her mother, "But I'll try mother, when I get there in Milan…" after dinner Zita walked back to her room followed by Kuchen and Macaron.

Her maids helped her out of the dress and into her nightgown. Zita jumped on the bed and snuggled against her pillows, "Goodnight my lady" Lotte said before blowing out the candle and closing the bedroom door. Zita lay there in the darkness, she heard her dogs whimpering in the dark so she called for them to lay beside her while she slept. "Do you think I'm perfect to become a wife?" Kuchen groaned and rested his head on the silk pillow "I thought so…Goodnight Kuchen, goodnight Macaron" she yawned and eventually went to sleep, still shaken by the sudden turn of events in her life.

The night passed and dawn came into the horizon. The roosters crowed in the farms while the farmers themselves tended to their flocks and herds. The city of Vienna was alive yet again, markets opened up to welcome new and old customers of the day. Lotte walked into her young mistress's bedroom whilst the rest of the maids crept in quietly to pack Zita's things. It was Kuchen who woke Zita before Lotte could even open the windows to let a cool breeze in. Zita shifted in her bed and yawned loudly, her hair in a tangled mess. "_Guten Morgen_ (Good morning)" Lotte said, pulling the sheets off. Zita groaned and lazily got up to head to the bathroom to bathe. The maids had prepared a warm bath for her, Zita slipped in and sighed as the water relaxed her whole body.

She looked up at the delicately designed ceiling with the paintings of angels looking down at her. Zita pulled her legs up to her chest and played with the small flowers floating on the water; she washed her face too and stood up from the tub. She stepped out carefully and two maids wrapped a towel around her. Zita paced back to her room to dry herself and lie down on her dark burgundy couch. Lotte picked out a light blue dress for her with white trimmings, Zita nodded it off and sighed another maid came up to her to show her which pair of gloves should go best with the dress "White" Zita answered lazily burying her head on the cushions. "And shoes my lady?" one asked "…Blue" once everything was done and Zita feeling dry already they let her slip in the chemise and then the corset, they even added blue hoses for the feel. They brushed Zita's hair to an updo and held it up with a jewel encrested hairpin.

The young mistress turned around admiring her reflection and finally went downstairs to have a simple breakfast. Ambra led her daughter to the carriage holding her hands firmly, as Zita got up her two dogs followed as well. "You're not coming?" she asked when she noticed her mother staying put outside "No dear, the Duke will recognize me quickly…but he won't recognize you. When you enter Milan tell the city guards that you are a distant relative from Vienna who has come to visit her dead uncle" Ambra told her. "Si mamma" Zita replied chuckling a bit, Lotte and another maid named Amalia stepped into the carriage to assist with their young mistress in the whole journey. The carriage door closed and Zita waved goodbye to her mother.

Zita sighed and leaned against the window, they passed by so many trees and bushes and then more trees. Kuchen groaned and laid his head on Zita's lap, Macaron on the other hand watched the outside world as well with Zita. Knowing that it is a very long way to Italy, Zita removed her hair pin and scratched her head.  
Hours seem to have passed and soon it was already twilight. Amalia gave them some bread and schnitzel to eat. Another bumpy road made Zita sigh and lean back against the cushioned seat.  
The following morning, Zita sat leaning against Lotte who was reading a book while Amalia checked if the dogs had ticks in them. Abruptly the carriage slowed down and eventually stopped, Zita removed her handkerchief from her face and looked around. "What's the matter?" she yawned a bit "Guards, they've come to check the carriages" Lotte told me and one guard approached them.

"_Dove siete andare delle signore?_ (Where are you ladies going?)" the guard asked them in Italian. Lotte and Amalia didn't know what to do since they were both Austrians to start with, they've looked at Zita hoping for a good reply to the man. But before Zita could answer Lucio was now there beside the man "_Mi dispiace signore. La mia signora è disinserita a Milano per visitare il suo zio recentemente defunto. Lascili prego attraverso._ (Forgive me sir. My lady is off to Milan to visit her recently deceased uncle. Please let us through.)" he said while trying to catch his breath. The guard looked at him then to Zita, "Alright let them through!" the carriage moved once more and Zita raised an eyebrow at the young boy. She scoffed and asked for afelstrudel from Amalia.

Finally they arrived at the city. Zita gazed out the window and saw the many structures and buildings. She requested Lotte to fix her hair before they arrived at the palazzo. She was very anxious and excited at the same time to meet her brothers and sister again.  
The hairpin was back and the carriage stopped in front of a building, "Is this what they call a palazzo?" Amalia said "Yes. It is the residence of any nobleman here in Milan" Zita said and Lucio opened the carriage door for her. She kindly stepped out of the carriage with her two dogs each at her side. "…I'm home" she whispered and entered the palazzo, Lucio stepped inside first "Please wait right here, I will search for Signore Gregorio" he said and hurried inside. "Well that was_ unhöflich_ (rude)" Amalia said, Zita and Lotte chuckled quietly and a man in his thirties came out. "Are you…Zita?" he asked, Zita nodded her head lightly "That is me…" Gregorio stepped down inching a bit closer "Where is mother?" he said "She refused to come. Fearing that the duke might find her again" Zita replied quietly. Gregorio seemed a bit disappointed but nevertheless his youngest sister came "Come in quickly" he said gesturing her inside the palazzo.

Zita and her maids walked into the palazzo, it was so different from her bright halls back in Vienna. "Did I come too late for the funeral?" she asked Gregorio "No, not really. Basilio and Fortunata are preparing for the church and the burial" Gregorio told her and looked back at her "…You look so much like mother" he said with a smile. Zita returned the smile "She sometimes said I look like father" they stopped in front of a room and Gregorio gestured her to step in. She walked inside and saw her dead father lying on his bed in his attire, "He would've been happy to see you" Gregorio said, Zita could only nod as she stood by her father's side and cried.

The maids of the house began fixing the guest room for the eighth sibling. Zita let her hair down and she walked up to the window seeing a small garden outside, there were only a few trees and three benches to sit on plus there was a small fountain. "Admiring the gardens are we?" She turned around to see another woman by the doorway, "S-Si…you must be Fortunata" the woman nodded. She looked like their father except for the eyes that resembled their mother. "That I am. Tell me, are the gardens too small for your taste?" she said "Excuse me?" "I said are the gardens too small? Or would you like it if you were returned to Vienna instead of showing your face here?" Fortunata said "If this is about the rumors before I had no intention of putting the family to shame" "You think it's about that isn't it? Well it is…you don't look like any of us nor do I see any of my father in you" she said and then walked away. Zita bit her lip and went back to gazing outside the window.

Lotte and Amalia presented her with a jewelry box which Zita opened to take out her black lace fan and her onyx necklace. She fanned herself in front of the mirror and faced her dogs, "It's not too much isn't it?" she asked them then back to the mirror.

On the day of the funeral the whole family was there. The four brothers with their wives and children, Fortunata with her husband, Gustavo and Jovanni with their lovers and Zita with her maids. Everyone wore black clothing as the coffin of their father exited the church. Zita stood there, face hidden by a black veil, watching the servants carry the coffin to the carriage. Suddenly they heard chattering from the crowd, the family turned around seeing the Duke of Milan, Galeazzo Maria Sforza. Gregorio, being the eldest, walked up to him and knelt down and kissed the Duke's hand. "I am sorry for your loss. Dario was a dear friend of everyone at the court" Galeazzo said "_È un onore che avete venuto a tale tempo_. (It is an honor that you have come at such time.)" Gregorio replied, the duke acknowledged each sibling until his eyes laid on Zita. The wind had blown her veil, temporarily showing her face to the man. She bowed her head down deeply hoping he had not seen her. "And might I ask who this lovely lady is?" "A distant cousin sir, from Vienna she grew up there so she has trouble understanding the Italian language" Gustavo said, slightly concerned for his younger sister. Galeazzo nodded and bent down to kiss Zita's hand, she forced a smile and nod her head. After the duke said his words to Gregorio he left, Zita sighed loudly and fanned herself.  
"_Grazie il mio fratello_ (Thank you my brother)" she said to Gustavo "Hey anything for a sister of mine" he smiled and patted her shoulder, she smiled as well and went home with her siblings.

That evening, they ate dinner quietly and once the children were done eating they ran around the room chasing each other. "So Zita how was life in Vienna?" Cirino asked her, Zita wiped her lips with the napkin laid out for her "It was very well. It is somewhat similar here in Milan and the royalties often meet with the lower-class people" Zita told them "Is that so? They must be kind people" Jovanni said "Yes they are. Everyone is always invited to a party back in Vienna, which is where I learned my dance and art" she told them. "Well unfortunately Milan and Vienna are two different cities, royalties like the duke aren't expected to talk with peasants" Fortunata said followed by silence in the table except for the children running about. Fortunata's husband Orsino held his wife's hand firmly "Don't hold me!" Fortunata hissed quietly then stood up to retire to her room. "Please…forgive her" Orsino bowed and went off to chase after his wife. Donata, wife of Basilio sighed and rolled her eyes "It's always like that…" "Oh dear" Felisa, Flavio's wife, sighed too. "Is there a reason why our sister is like that?" Zita asked them "There are many reasons mio caro" Donata said "The main one is that she's too self-indulged. Not to mention a social climber" "Another is that when the rumors began, all men didn't want to go near her fearing that the Duke had violated her too and that is all plus it was said she couldn't bare children. I used to pity her but the way she's acting now…" "Alright dear let us retire" Basilio announced.

Zita sat in the bathtub filled with warm water. She leaned back against the object and splashed water at her face. She thought of her poor sister, it must have been awful for Fortunata as well. The current Duke had a reputation for raping wives and daughters of noblemen they say, several of his illegitimate children were taken in by his current wife which is probably why Ambra had fled Milan taking Zita with her, she feared whatever might happen to her daughter in the palace. Zita stood up from her tub and wrapped a towel around herself, she dried off and slipped into a new nightgown. She lied down on her bed sighing, Kuchen came up to her and jumped on the bed. She giggled and patted his head, Macaron stayed on the floor since he was used to it. The young girl stared up at the half moon with wondering eyes and finally slept.

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Morning arrived in the beautiful city of Firenze. People greeted each other another beautiful day and went off to do their business, markets welcoming trades and birds flying overhead. Footsteps echoed throughout but it did not come from the ground but on the roofs. The Auditore brothers, Federico and Ezio ran on the rooftops as a daily exercise. They jumped off landing on a hay stack and emerged with big grins on their faces "You're doing well Ezio, a little more and you'll be able to perfect it" Federico said patting Ezio on the back, the young Florentine boy smirked but was distracted by a group of women winking at him. "C'mon little brother, father said he has something important to tell us" Federico said dragging his brother away but Ezio wriggled out of his brother's grasp "Tell father I'll be late, I have business to attend to" he said and walked over to the group "_Buon giorno_ ladies" Ezio said with a smirk. Of course he was always rumored to be a heartbreaker, stole many women's hearts and threw them away after. Ezio didn't care as to how many women should bow down to him just to get him to bed, he was just being him. Typical Ezio walking around Firenze with a group of women sometimes older than he, his eyes usually averted from their face to the view of their cleavage. "Erm, why don't we continue our talk later tonight…at your house?" What he really meant was 'Why don't we make out at your house tonight?' the lady before him grinned "It will be…my pleasure signore" she winked and went on with her friends.

Ezio recited a silent 'Yes!' and ran back home avoiding any Pazzi guard along the way. He felt like he was the luckiest man gifted with such a face and it shouldn't be wasted. There was a time that his mother Maria asked if he ever wanted to get married. Ezio scoffed and brushed the topic of marriage off and why him? Federico was obviously the eldest he should marry some noblewoman first but his elder brother too had a reputation like him. There was a time when Federico wanted to take a woman to bed, the woman told him she was reserving her virginity for her husband and Federico—who was obviously drunk at that time—told the woman that he will marry her. Sadly the next day Federico refused to step out of their home until the woman's family forgot all about it. The woman however managed to find a husband and is now living in Venezia. Ezio walked into the palazzo and knocked on their door, he stepped inside and went directly to his father's office, "Father you wanted to see me?" he saw Federico sitting near the chess board with the usual you're-in-trouble look. "You were supposed to see me a minute ago! Where have you been?" Giovanni said "I was doing my usual business" Ezio replied smirking, "Either chasing after girls or being chased by guards. Sit, I have something to discuss with you two" the two brothers sat close to their father.

"Do you see this?" Giovanni raised a dark red envelope at them that had a crest of a family. "It's from a dear old companion of mine all the way from Milan. He recently passed away leaving his wife and eight children behind" Ezio whistled loudly "Eight? They must have been pretty busy" he chuckled at his brother however Giovanni wasn't pleased "Ezio please let me finish. Now since Gregorio, Dario's eldest son, is going to take over he will also continue what his father and I had promised years ago" "Which is?" Ezio asked impatiently he still had a date with some woman named Anna or something "An arranged marriage" Ezio snapped out of his thoughts and Federico looked up at his father "Arranged marriage? With whom?" he asked. Giovanni opened the letter for them to read, "One of my sons will be married to the eighth child of Dario D'Angelo. That is what's written here. Apparently their eighth child's birth has caused a scandal at the court of the Duke of Milan" he said folding the letter and tucked it in his drawers. "What kind of scandal?" Federico asked him "Rumors…just rumors, now the eighth child should already be there in Milan. She came all the way from Vienna from her mother's home, we should also receive a letter and a small sketch of the fiancée by then" their father said "So have you chosen which one of us is going to say goodbye to the women of Firenze?" Federico joked wrapping an arm around Ezio's neck. "I will decide. And it has to be the next one to continue the family business as well. He should already be responsible enough" Giovanni said before getting back to his work.

Ezio chuckled "We already know who it is father" he said and slipped out of his brother's grasp. The Auditore brothers went downstairs and were greeted by their mother Maria, "Oh I see you went to your father" she said "Mother why didn't you tell us about this arranged marriage before?" Ezio said outraged. Maria only laughed at his son's antics and patted his shoulder "If I did there wouldn't be any surprise now is there? Now, has your father chosen from the two of you?" she asked them "No not yet but he did say one of us has to be responsible enough" Federico said repeating his father's words. "I see, well I hope this marriage will stop one of you from chasing after various skirts in Firenze" Maria chuckled "What do you say Ezio? Care to enjoy your life before it falls into ruins?" Federico said to his brother "I should say the same to you" Ezio replied and the two boys went off.

A week had passed since Dario's funeral. Lotte entered her mistress' bedroom and pushed aside the curtains to let the rays of the sun flood into the room, Kuchen jumped on Zita's bed and licked her face all over. "Ah! Kuchen! Get off!" Zita exclaimed pushing the heavy dog off her, she groaned and pulled the covers over her head "I hate mornings" Lotte smiled and began fixing the room. There was an empty bottle of wine and a glass on the table plus half eaten biscuits. Shoes were a mess on the floor and Zita herself was still wearing her dress from last night, "My lady please get up, your brother is in need of you at breakfast" Lotte said. Zita sighed and kicked the sheets off. She ruffled her long hair and got up to head to her brother.

"I hope you enjoyed your party" Fortunata stood by the doorway of the dining hall, Zita ignored her and walked straight to her eldest brother "You called for me Gregorio?" she said yawning a bit "Yes. Forgive me if I woke you a little early but there is good news" Gregorio told her. This made Zita wake up a little "Really?" "Si. First off, you've inherited father's villa in Tuscany it's located in Chianciano Terme, it has the largest garden in the whole town" Gregorio said "Oh grazie mio fratello!" Zita exclaimed hugging her brother. Fortunata shook her head and bit into the apple she held, "Also we have received a letter and a sketch of your future husband" he gave her a blue envelope plus a locket that could fit into Zita's palm. "Not only is the marriage going to save the family, it's going to save the business too. Signore Giovanni is a banker just like father and if we had connections with Firenze the business will be good" Gregorio told her "This is just amazing…when should I leave?" Zita asked "Tomorrow, I've immediately sent a reply back to Firenze and should it arrive soon if there is no problem with the delivery of the letter" he said. Then came a knock on their door, "Well I must be off business calls" Gregorio put on his coat and left the room.

Zita returned to her room to bathe, she opened the small locket to see a beautiful sketch of her fiancé. He was really handsome and he had beautiful eyes, "Look Kuchen isn't he adorable?" she said showing the drawing to her favorite dog. Kuchen replied with a gruff and lied down on the cool floor. Zita giggled and went to her bedroom to change into a sunny yellow dress, her hair in a jeweled snood and a bright yellow necklace for the finish. She spent some time with her sister-in-laws in the lounge. Her niece and nephews ran around giggling while the dogs stayed by the side guarding them. "By the way have you heard about Gianna? I heard that when she gave birth there was blood all over the sheets and it was really disgusting" Donata said "Yes I've heard. Plus I ran into Orsino yesterday in the poor district" Felisa said "Oh? What was he doing there?" Donata asked. Zita looked at them then back to her feathered fan "Apparently he's been unfaithful to his wife" Felisa said in a hushed whisper.

Donata gasped and asked "Does Fortunata know?" "I don't think so. She's busy making Zita's life a living hell to notice right?" Felisa turned to her young sister-in-law "What?" Zita asked. "Nothing dear" Felisa replied and looked back at Donata "And here I thought she was smart" she said in a hushed tone "She's like a child…" Zita decided to take her dogs out for a walk in the nearest piazza. She wanted to go take a horse and ride out in the fields however the family horses weren't available since they were to be needed in the trip tomorrow. Zita held on to the leashes as her two dogs walked along the cobblestone streets, there were a few people who had looked back at her and some even dared whispered.

"I've heard that that's Dario's niece, she came all the way from Vienna." "An Austrian-Italian?" "Perhaps, but it looks like she inherited the Austrian attitude, she doesn't seem interested in the Italians at all" Zita shook her head lightly and continued walking her pets. "Oh what on earth are those things? They look disgusting." When she returned she went straight into her room and sat down in front of her mirror. She opened the locket again to look at her fiancé's picture "Would he even dare like someone like me?" she asked herself and closed it again.

To spend her last moments in Milan, Zita decided to buy an array of Italian dresses. There were textiles displayed for her, Lotte began serving some biscuits and cakes for her to eat while she chose a specific design. "Oh I love this one, it's very pretty" Zita said after sipping on her wine, then the jewelries came as well as the shoes. Gregorio and the other brothers were not disturbed by this since they've spoiled Fortunata when she was younger too. "What do you think about this?" Zita asked while picking up an amethyst necklace "It's gorgeous" Donata said "I love this one too! I'll take it" when everything had been bought and packed for her trip tomorrow Zita lied down on her bed groaning.

"Do you think he is going like me?" she asked her two maids present it was Lotte who spoke up first "It depends my lady…" Zita groaned again and buried her face into the pillows. "Usually both sides would give out negative thoughts before they finally give up" Amalia told her "I've done that before, what happens next?" Zita grumbled face still buried in the pillows "Then you don't have anything to worry my lady! He is going to love you no matter what" Lotte assured her, Zita scoffed and pulled the sheets over her head "Right. As if he's going to head over heels with a foreigner like me" she waved her hand at them to leave and the maids did sighing on the way out. Lotte paused at the door "Goodnight my lady" she said and closed the door of the bedroom.

"The union between our families should be cemented by marriage. Those are the words father mentioned in his letter. Firenze and Milan have been great allies for the past few years and it is natural for us to create trade with its citizens, particularly close to the Medici. My youngest sister Zita will be married to a son of the Auditore."

Zita lazily opened her eyes to the first rays of the sun, Kuchen licked her face to get her up for the journey. After bathing, Zita decided to wear a simple white dress with yellow floral embroidery, a white ribbon for her hair and white shoes. She walked down the dark brown hallway and into the main lobby where her brother was waiting for her "Lucio will be there to help you in any way he can. Listen well to your new family" Gregorio said and embraced his little sister. She waved at her family when she got into the carriage; she glanced at the palazzo one last time and eventually left Milan. During the ride, Zita opened the locket again, "He has kind eyes" Lotte said "Does he? He looks brave" Zita giggled quietly "Indeed" Amalia replied. They had some snacks to eat and took a nap as well. When Zita opened her eyes she saw a beautiful scenery before her, rolling hills dotted with trees and clear blue skies.

"It's remarkable…" She sighed, the carriage travelled towards a walled city with a gigantic structure of what seems to be a church. "It's like Vienna" the young mistress exclaimed.  
Once they entered the city they saw a group of people awaiting them, "Is that him?" Amalia whispered. Lucio, who was there on Gregorio's request got off the carriage and opened its door. The maids stepped out first along with Kuchen and Macaron, Lucio held out a hand to help Zita down. The sun ad casted its rays on her white dress giving her a radiant glow.  
"Signora Zita, this is Signore Giovanni and his wife Signora Maria" Lucio said formally, Zita curtsied gracefully as taught by her brothers. "Signore" she said and smiled, Giovanni returned the smile and took her hand, he led her to two boys "May I present to you your fiancé Ezio" Zita couldn't help but smile at the man before her "Desidero accoglierlo favorevolmente a Firenze (I wish to welcome you to Florence)" Ezio said and surprisingly Zita hugged him.  
"Is this even necessary?" Ezio mouth at his parents, once she let go she acknowledged the three other siblings as well. "She's like a child..." Ezio muttered to his brother. 


	3. Fitting in

So many alerts and faves but not even one review!

Ah well just goes to show you that this story is a "no comment" story. Well I absolutely love my niece's ideas so yeah! TWO THUMBS UP FOR HER AND NOT EVEN TRYING TO MAKE AN ACCOUNT HERE TO POST HER STORIES! :D

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It seems that Firenze lacked some trees or that is what Zita thought when she stood by the glass window gazing out at the rest of the surrounding buildings. The courtyard was a bit too small, much smaller than the garden back in Milan. There the courtyard was the size of a room and there was so little plant life, she bit her lip and looked back at the open trunks laid out in the spacious bedroom. She heard loud footsteps coming from outside and her fiancé came in carrying a small trunk that held her jewelries. "There I think that's the last of it" Ezio said taking a deep breath after, "Thank you…for everything" Zita said trying to make a conversation with her future husband "Umm…right" he said and left.

"…I knew this wasn't going to work out" Zita leaned against the window frame and sighed deeply. Kuchen came up to her and laid his big head on her lap, she smiled a little and patted his head the big dog barked and nuzzled his head against her hand. "Thanks Kuchen, you always do know how to cheer me up" she hugged her dog, the only thing dear to her because they remind her of home back in Austria. Lotte came up and knocked on the doo lightly "My lady, Signora Maria would like to speak with you" she said. Zita huffed and let go of her dog, she went downstairs to the lounge where her mother-in-law sat along with the girl named Claudia and a boy named Petruccio. "You wish to speak with me?" Maria turned to face her daughter-in-law "Yes come sit" she patted the empty space of the couch beside her. Zita sat down on the couch still unsure what to do, Maria noticed that and told a maid to fetch them tea "I know this is a bit hard for you since you are still not used to all of this. It takes time to adjust to a foreign land such as this and when you do you will feel most welcome" Maria said patting Zita's hand. Zita felt a little bit calmer now, she was glad the mother was an understanding person and indeed a caring one.

"By the way, how old are you Zita?" Maria asked politely "I am fourteen years of age signora" Zita answered "Oh? You are only a year younger than my daughter Claudia" the said girl smiled at Zita who nodded in response. "I heard back in Vienna you joined so many parties hosted by the royal families" Maria said their tea came and each held a cup "Si. My mother and I went to every party, which is where I learned my talent of dancing but the best thing about Vienna is that the people there don't care about who you are and welcome you with open arms" Zita said and brought the cup to her lips. "That is very lovely. Zita I am going to host a party tomorrow night and I need you and Ezio to give out the invitations to our friends" "Oh that's very nice of you but might I ask why us?" Zita asked politely "Because dear, a husband and wife should get to know each other before the wedding day" the young girl nodded and listened very well to the instructions Maria gave her.

While Zita was off preparing herself Ezio came in to the lounge to greet his mother and siblings "_Salute madre che avete volute vederli? _(Hello mother, you wanted to see me?)" Ezio said "Yes Ezio, I want you to spend some time with Zita. Get to know her before the big day" the Auditore boy shook his head at his mother "Mother do you really expect me to marry her? I mean she practically acts like a child" he said "That's because she is. Now I'm handing out invitations to your engagement party tomorrow evening and you will teach Zita all the places here in Firenze _capisca? _(understand?)" Ezio let out a bored sigh and took the letters from his mother "I understand" "_Bene_, now then Ezio try to strike a conversation with your fiancée it is obvious that she knows nothing of Italy despite being Italiano herself" Maria said "Then why did she even leave Italia in the first place?" Ezio asked. His mother turned to face him with a stern look but then softened "There was some conflicts and her mother was thrown out of Milan…anyways Zita should be done by now." The young girl stood there leaning against the wall listening to their conversation, she sighed deeply and held the necklace her mother gave her when she was just an infant. She came out dressed in a navy blue dress almost similar to the color of Ezio's vest; her hair was tied into a loose bun with an ornamented snood to cover it up. "Now off you go" Maria said slightly pushing the two out of the palazzo, while staring at their retreating backs she couldn't help but wonder about the relationship between the two. "It's going to be difficult for her…"

Zita absently smiled at the items being sold in the market stalls. There were several things that Vienna markets didn't have, she picked up a juicy red apple and examined it however a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist rather painfully. She gazed up seeing the annoyed face of her fiancé "Hey don't get too distracted or you'll get lost soon enough" he said and dragged her along the streets "You're hurting me" Zita said quietly but Ezio chose to ignore her until they reached a palazzo. Ezio let go of her wrist revealing a nasty reddish mark on her skin, Zita bit her lip and forced it all in. "Stay here and don't leave" "I can understand Italian very well signore" Zita said and crossed her arms, Ezio went inside the palazzo to deliver the letter. She sighed out of earshot and looked at the dirty puddle by her feet, she dipped her foot in it and then heard someone giggling. Zita turned her head to see a group of Florentine women led by a woman with jet black hair and dark brown eyes that matched evenly with Ezio.

This woman was such a beauty that Zita felt uneasy and unable to even rant about her, "Oh my I wonder what that child is doing" the beautiful woman said "She's so small" one of her friends chortled "I say she looks just like your cousin, you know the stupid one" Zita bit her tongue and held back her anger. She leaned further into the wall hoping that they would pass by her quickly but they chose to make her an object of ridicule instead. "Oh dear do you think she's crying?" "What do you expect? She's only a child" Zita looked down at the ground almost whimpering. She felt like regretting everything she did, if only she ran away the moment her mother announced the arranged marriage, if only she stayed home in Milan and marry some other nobleman instead and yet why was she here? Why was she in a foreign country being ridiculed? Why couldn't she had just said no.

"I think that is enough now signora Cristina" Zita glanced up seeing a familiar Auditore walk up to them, Federico patted Zita's back and assured her everything would be fine. "Federico what are you doing here?" she asked quietly checking to see if the group was still there "I thought I might come along just in case Ezio did anything foolish" he said with a wink. Zita's lips curled into a small smile and nodded her head in thanks to the eldest Auditore brother, she looked back at the woman named Cristina who continued to smile at her. "Ah! Mio amore Cristina! What brings you here?" Ezio said aloud as he walked up to Cristina and kissed her cheeks "Just a little walk with my girls and you?" "Erm…I'm just doing my errands for my mother, letters to be sent and all" Ezio told her "I'm pleased to find that you're helping your mother" Cristina replied. "C-Can we go some place else please?" Zita whispered quietly to Federico "Alright…" Federico placed an arm around her and led her away from Ezio and Cristina.

While they were walking Zita couldn't help sighing along the way, they made it to a bridge which Federico says is the Ponte Vecchio. It was a bright day in Firenze yet it wasn't bright at all between Zita and Ezio, Federico noted her expression and scratched the back of his head. "Don't worry about him, he always does that even though he's committed to one girl at a time…" Zita looked up at him sadly. The eldest Auditore sighed "Look Ezio is just not use to all of this yet" he said "Am I really that childish?" Zita asked him "Zita you look like a child not act like one" the girl furrowed her brows and rested on the ledge.

She stared at the river flowing beneath the bridge and frowned "Was it because I deprive him from what he craves the most?" she looked up at Federico "Mostly. But that's not the point" "Well it is! Just look at me! I may be Italian but everything on me says otherwise. Everyone views me as something like a threat… even Ezio thinks I am" she said and began to sob. "Hey no one thinks that you are a threat, in fact my mother, my father and even my younger siblings like you. Ezio just doesn't see that" Federico said "What does he want to see in me? Large things you men call breasts?" Zita said wiping away her tears.

Federico wanted to strangle his baby brother right about now, how many years have they been in the women handling and still Ezio gets to make a woman cry. He looked down at his sister-in-law and stared at her miserable face, "Come here you look like you're in a need of a hug" "A what?" Zita blinked but before she could react she was pulled into a tight embrace. "Ah! Federico! I can't breathe!" she exclaimed "Just look at how exciting Firenze is!" Federico said dangling Zita off the ledge, she screamed but not in fright.

"Federico!" she screamed again when he threatened to just throw her off the bridge, a smile appeared on her face and Federico was satisfied. "See? All you needed was just a hug" he said "Yes but hugs don't involve hanging people on the bridge" Zita said and finally giggled "Oh listen to yourself. You laugh like an infant who is given milk" Federico chuckled "That is so mean!" Zita exclaimed pushing the Auditore a bit. "No this is mean" the young man pinched both Zita's cheeks that she shrieked loudly until he let go, her face was now red and sore and Zita glared at him.

"Enough of this nonsense!" she said rubbing her sore cheeks, "At least you smiled" Federico said which in turn made the young girl grin "See? There it is again!" they both laughed this time and took time to catch their breaths. "You remind me of my brothers back at home in Milan, even though I only spent seven days there" Zita said and looked back at the view of the city "Do I?" Federico asked "Hmm actually no, my brothers are more handsome than you" she teased and dodged another cheek-pinching from Federico. "Come there are several places here in Firenze that you have yet to know of" he grabbed her hand and they both ran through the streets of the city.

Zita had trouble catching up because of her skirt; she lifted it up to run a bit faster. "Here we are" Federico said, Zita peeked from his back and saw clothed tables all around and music playing "This is where Ezio and I come to enjoy the night" he told her, he pointed towards two buildings where in between was the sun "Sit I have enough florins to last the whole afternoon then we'll finally get to see the sunset" he said pushing Zita down on one chair.

"The usual please Adona" a woman with long flaxen hair came up to their table "Should I lessen the other one for her?" she asked "Uh no I think she can handle it. Plus keep the wine coming as always" Federico said "I hope you know what you're doing honey" the woman turned away and the two were left to converse. "So tell me dashing one, is it true Austrian people are cold natured?" Zita glanced up at Federico and shook her head "No, they're kind and they would never criticize anyone" she said "And hobbies? A girl like you is supposed to have hobbies" "Hunting actually but I am only being taught, I never held any weapon to kill an animal" Zita answered.

Their bottle of wine came and Federico poured some into Zita's glass "_Acclamazioni. _(Cheers.) _Al vostro idiota di un marito_. (To your idiot of a husband.)" Their glasses clinked and they both drank at the same time. Federico smirked widely while Zita giggled at him, "Grazie Federico…for cheering me up" "It was nothing. Ezio should at least be glad, kind girls like you appear only once in a lifetime" she giggled again and their meals for the afternoon came "Here you go dears. Bistecca alla Fiorentina" Zita almost choked on her wine seeing such thing on her plate "Isn't this steak a little bit…big?" she asked however Federico had indulged himself with the meal. Zita shrugged it off and ate as well. The two talked more about themselves as more people began occupying the area. Soon there were a group of courtesans that were there merely on business.

"Federico Auditore, not surprising that you are here" one of them said brushing her bosom lightly on the young man's face "Ladies may I present to you my sister-in-law Zita D'Angelo da Milano" Zita waved a bit at them "Oh my, she's so adorable!" "She's like a piece of cake so delicate and pretty" "Who is she going to marry Federico? Certainly not you" the man chuckled and leaned against one courtesan "Of course it had to be my baby brother" he said. "Mio dio, why Ezio? Has he broken her heart already?" Federico raised his eyebrows in a way that he's saying Of-course-what-do-you-expect-of-him? The four courtesans gasped and surrounded Zita "Oh poor child! We should spoil her a bit" "Not if you want Paola to punish you" "Oh it's alright I mean she's just a girl aren't you sweetie?" Zita glanced up at them then back to Federico.

"I am pleased you find me pretty but-" "Oh think nothing of it! By the way you can call me Calandra, that is Calvina, that one is Ersilia and lastly we have Lia" Zita nodded her head at each "It is nice to know all of you" she said. Throughout the night, Calandra and Calvina took turns touching Zita's hair and curl it in their fingers. The wine kept coming and soon they felt their head had gone light.

"Hey Federico, let's head back I think we drank too much" Zita said leaning against Lia's large bosom for support "I am way ahead of you _sorella_ (sister)" Federico replied almost tripping over if not for Ersilia and Calvina. "This is the first time I got drunk" Zita swayed a bit and then giggled "_Che cosa?_ (What?)" Federico replied "You're an idiot. Five bottles of wine, I swear…_Ich werde Ihre Kugeln innen zertrümmern_ (I'm going to smash your balls in)" then they heard Federico laugh out loud _"Quello era divertente lo dice ancora!_ (That was funny say it again!)" Calandra and the other girls giggled "Why don't the two of you stay at our bordello for the night, I know this is a bit far away from your house" she said "Oh yes it is far away. Put me in a carriage and ship me off back to Vienna please" Lia and Calandra both supported Zita as they walked towards the bordello "Now that's funny. You're in a carriage and then you're shipped off" he laughed again and even Zita laughed at her own mistake.

Her head felt so light now. Suddenly there was a group of mercenaries walking up to them holding their weapons, "Are those two Federico and Zita?" one questioned the courtesans "Si and what do you want with them?" Calandra asked holding Zita close to her. "Signore Giovanni has asked us to bring them home, they seem worried" Lia and the other looked reluctant but nonetheless they handed them over. "Buona notte Zita, buona notte Federico" they waved at the two while they were being carried by the mercenaries "Ugh…" Zita groaned a bit every time she hit the mercenary's back. "She's not gonna make it" one of them said "Shut up or I'll make her throw up on you" once they reached palazzo Giovanni, Maria and Ezio were there.

"We found them with the courtesans, it seems they had too much to drink" Giovanni sighed as he helped his son "Signore I think this one won't make it" the mercenary that held Zita instantly laid her down on a bench "Well thank you very much" Giovanni said to them and they left. Maria shook her head and looked at Ezio "Ezio you were supposed to be watching over Zita, not to wander off with other women!" she said "But mother it was her fault she ran off-" "Enough excuses," Giovanni said sternly "now bring Zita to your bedroom and get her cleaned up" Ezio cursed under his breath and lazily picked the girl up from the bench. "Ugh she feels very heavy for a girl" he muttered and went upstairs "Just where did you and Federico go anyways?" he kicked the door open and threw Zita on the bed like a rag doll. She groaned lightly and rolled on her stomach "Where are your maids?" Ezio said and abruptly heard the disgusting sound of vomiting. He sighed and began fixing Zita up the whole night.

When Zita woke up she was in her nightgown and there was a glass of water waiting for her. She took a gulp of it and felt that the space beside her was warm, "He slept there…" she said and then fell back to her pillows with a killer headache. Ezio sighed as he waltzed right into his father's office, Federico was there rubbing his forehead and Giovanni looked very concern. "Ezio sit" he said to his son, Ezio grabbed a chair and sat down in front of his father.

Giovanni took a deep breath and said "Look I know this is unfair for you but you have to be by your fiancée's side at all times" "But father it wasn't my fault, she and Federico walked away when we were delivering the letters" Ezio explained "That's because you were busy talking to Cristina Vespucci you hardly even noticed what they did to Zita" Federico said "Hey don't you dare speak of Cristina that way" Ezio stood up from his chair "Ezio" Giovanni uttered aloud and the boy sat back down. "…Zita is Italian. However, she is born and raised in Vienna thus she has no knowledge about Italy or its people" "Father I don't get what you're saying" the young Auditore said "Please let me finish. To the citizens, she is a foreigner and being in a city she doesn't know can be very hard especially on a girl like Zita. She can't cope with everyone not unless you spend time with her, make her understand where she truly belongs" Giovanni said.

Ezio sighed and raised his hands in the air in defeat "Ezio…Zita is alone now and she needs help from her fiancé do you understand?" "Yes father…" Ezio groaned and got up from his chair. "And one more thing Ezio," the said boy turned around facing his father "Please don't make her feel like she's a threat" with that he stepped out of the office and directly to the bedroom they shared. Zita sat there on her vanity table picking out a necklace to wear for the party tonight, Kuchen walked up to her and barked "Do you think this one is pretty?" she held out an emerald necklace in front of her dog and smiled.

She faced her mirror and gradually frowned at her reflection, she suddenly remembered the events yesterday. Zita sighed loudly "It's just my first day here and I get discriminated because I look like a child" she ran her hands through her hair and slammed her forehead against the table. Ezio slumped back against the wall, then he heard the window creaking open, he peeked into the room and saw Zita sitting on the window sill with her eyes closed as she soaked up the rays of the sun. She let out a sigh and opened her eyes, "Come Kuchen let's go out for a walk" Zita called out for her maid and looked at her reflection again. Ezio licked his lip and inhaled deeply, he stepped inside the room exhaling "Zita" the young girl immediately turned around pulling up the sheets above her chest. Nightgowns can be so annoying and incredibly thin, "I've heard you wanted to go out for a walk" he said "Yes but with my dogs" Zita replied walking towards the closet to choose her dress.

"I've been thinking…" Ezio did not dare look up seeing that all of her bare back was facing him, "…I'm sorry for leaving you behind" he said "It's alright I forgive you" Zita smiled and pulled out a peach colored dress with dark orange embroidery "What do you think?" she asked him "…It looks good on you" Ezio replied after a moment. Zita nodded and sat down on the bed "You know this dress, my mother had it made by a French dressmaker. She always bought me a lot of dresses when I was younger…she would often tell me to stand straight while the dressmaker measured me" she looked up at Ezio hoping that he would react or something. His expression said otherwise.

"…I know that with me being here I'm depriving you from your duties. So if it pleases you, you can do whatever you want even if we got married…" Zita said and gathered up her dress, Ezio stood there still unsure of what to do "Just what are- Ah! Never mind" he stepped out of the room dazed. He didn't know where to go, he just walked and walked until his feet screamed at him to stop but he did not.  
Ezio sat on bench near Piazza del Duomo, he leaned back almost hitting his head against the hard wall. "Just what was she talking about?" he said to himself and buried his face in his hands. Just then he heard sweet laughter somewhere, he looked up seeing a group of courtesans walking towards him. "Aren't you Zita's fiancé?" one of them said "Um…Si why do you ask?" the courtesan huffed at him "Nothing really…" and with that the group left him there. Normally they would be flirting with him until he got annoyed but this is the first time they ignored him.  
Back in the palazzo, Zita fixed her dress and her hair which was tied into a half-ponytail with an orange ribbon. She attached the leash to both dogs and stepped out of the palazzo with her two maids right behind her. The day seems a bit cheery this morning, not one began gossiping when they saw her but instead they bowed their heads in respect much to Zita's expectations.

She walked down Ponte Vecchio and into a street she was familiar with and soon she was in Piazza della Signoria. "Still no trees" Zita muttered under her breath. She sat down on a stone bench to rest a bit, her two dogs lied down on the ground panting heavily. The wind blew on her face and made her shudder a bit, there were a few people present in the piazza and there was a stage of some sort in the middle of the place with caked blood on the wood. "Is this where they execute criminals?" Zita said to her two maids "I think so my lady" Lotte answered, they were in the maid's clothing required by the rest of the Italian nobility.

They looked much prettier with the white veil on their heads, "You know that veil gives out your beauty Amalia" Zita said leaning back on the bench, "It does?" her mistress nodded and the girl said a quick thank you. Macaron suddenly rose from his place and growled deeply, Zita turned her head to his direction and saw a man in a strange outfit followed by three guards. "Right, come on Kuchen, Macaron" she tugged on her dogs' leash but found Macaron resisting the tug "What's the rush il mia bella signora?" the man said and bent down to kiss Zita's hand. "My name is Vieri de Pazzi and might I ask the lady's name?" "…_Ich heisse Zita D'Angelo und ich sind nicht an Ihnen interessiert._ (I am Zita D'Angelo and I am not interested in you.)" Zita replied "Excuse me what?" "Nothing I must be off, my fiancé is waiting for me" she walked ahead with her head held high.

Her mother once taught her not to speak to such men, they should be avoided or they just drag you into trouble. "Fiancé? Surely you must be joking signora" this man, Vieri whatever was very persistent he stood in front of Zita thus blocking her way "No I'm not joking…I am engaged signore, perhaps you should find a much prettier girl here in Firenze" Zita said with a smile and strode by him but if you dealt with Vieri, you are in serious trouble. He grabbed her by the wrist and turned her around forcefully, "Let go of me" Zita said trying to pull back. Her dog barked wildly but they were held back by the guards and her maids were stopped as well. "Now you will be a good girl and you will come with me back to my palazzo!" Vieri said pulling Zita's face closer to his "Get away from me!" Zita shouted "Where did all that bravery go now huh?" Vieri exclaimed but then a fist came in contact with his face.

Zita gasped and saw Ezio "You. Stay away" he said pointing a finger at Vieri who was sprawled on the ground, "I knew it was you Auditore! Get him!" Vieri managed to shout out despite the bruise on his face. Lotte and Amalia arrived to protect their mistress and they watched the fight, people stopped to look at the brawl and some even cheered. When one was tumbling towards them, Lotte slapped his face hard he fell to the ground knocked out. "That was good Lotte" Zita clapped at her maid. Shortly after only one guard was left standing and Ezio gave him powerful blows to the face, he fell groaning on the ground. Ezio turned to face Zita with his brow bleeding, she came up to him and wiped his face with her handkerchief "I'm fine" Ezio said shoving her hand away "You're bleeding Ezio" Zita told him and continued to wipe the blood. He winced a bit when the cloth touch his wound, this made Zita smile a bit at least she was helping him. "There" she said and searched for any more wounds on his face.

She gave her bloodied hanky to Amalia who folded it and tucked it in her apron. Zita stared up at Ezio's face and then her hands "Grazie Ezio" she said smiling "Don't mention it, now let's go home before Vieri and his men wake up" Ezio told her "Oh right" she said looking back at the sprawled bodies on the ground. She felt something warm touch her hand and she looked down seeing Ezio's hand tangled in her own. Zita had felt the rush of joy in her that she wanted to jump; she remained there staring at their hands and eventually walked with Ezio with the gap closed between them. Zita could feel the awkwardness but she paid no mind, it felt nice to say the least. "By the way that man Vieri…" she said quietly "What about him?" Ezio said still angry from the fight "Do you know him?" she asked now wrapped her arm around Ezio's. "He's a pushover. He mostly spends his money on expensive things and often competes with a lot of people." he explained to her "Oh…" Zita said looking up at Ezio they made it back to the palazzo and they entered formally. "Ezio thank you again…" "…I couldn't let Vieri do whatever he wants to the people of Firenze" Ezio replied. Zita smiled, showing her teeth at him and went upstairs to prepare for the party.

Her maids bathed her in sweet perfume and dressed her in an Egyptian blue gown with a white front and gold embroidery. Her long hair tied to a half-bun and letting the rest of her hair fall over her shoulders, she lastly wore black shoes and a sapphire necklace. Outside of her room she was greeted by Maria and Giovanni, "You look beautiful dear" Maria said and hugged her daughter-in-law "Grazie madonna Maria" the woman chuckled "By now you should be calling me mother" she led Zita downstairs to Ezio who wore a dark colored doublet this time the wound he had earlier was still there. Federico patted Zita's back and assured her everything would be alright she smiled at him and looked at Ezio. He seemed a bit nervous then Zita held his hand like he did earlier, they stepped out together and were greeted by the people present there.

"She looks rather young" "Doesn't she?" "She looks like a lovely flower" Ezio and Zita sat in the middle of a long table, beside her was Federico who hid some wine under the table for them to drink when their parents weren't looking. "Dario's daughter right? She surely has inherited her mother's beautiful smile" the man named Uberto Alberti said he was with his wife in the table although Zita didn't catch the woman's name through the noise.

"Grazie signore" Zita replied and she saw Federico slowly pushing a glass full of wine to her "Yes I know Federico just leave it there, I'll drink it later" Ezio glanced over at Zita to see her talking to his brother in a rather close range. Federico was merely whispering the names of the different noblemen into Zita's ear since the noise would drown out their voices. "And that one over there is Signore Vespucci, Cristina's father "he pointed out "Wait why is he here when he dislikes Ezio's actions towards his daughter?" Zita asked "Probably because Ezio is getting married meaning no more trouble to his daughter" he told her and eventually sipped the wine he was going to give to Zita.

During the feast a man in white garb entered followed by guards, "And Federico who is that?" Zita asked "That mio caro is Signore Lorenzo de Medici; he is somewhat the ruler of Firenze and the patron of the arts" Federico explained "So he is like the duke?" "Somewhat" Lorenzo approached their table, exchanged greetings with Giovanni and approached the young couple. "I hope that in your marriage the Auditore shall prosper" Lorenzo said, Ezio and Zita smiled and thanked him "Ah Zita was it? I've met your father before and he is vigilant as he is enduring" he told the young girl before him "I thank you signore for having been friends with my father" Zita said "_Si._ (Yes.) It is a pity that he passed away too soon" "It is" Lorenzo patted Zita's soft cheek and went to sit next to Giovanni and Uberto. Time soon passed and everyone began to make a huge space in the middle to start a dance. Federico suddenly stood up and reached his hand out to Zita "Care to dance?" the young girl shook her head and stood up.

He led her to the middle and the music began to play, Zita smiled widely as Federico twirled her around and even lifted her up. The young girl giggled when her feet touched the floor, "That was amazing Federico since when did you take up dancing?" she asked him "I have my sources" the older Auditore replied. "Federico" they turned their heads towards Ezio "I think it is my turn may I have my fiancée back?" he said. Federico chuckled "Now this is hilarious! Yesterday you disliked Zita and now you want her? What's going on little brother?" he said "…I have no idea what you're talking about Federico now if you please" Zita glanced up at Federico and thanked him for the dance she walked to Ezio's side and he took her to the middle for the dance.

"I have to say what is going through your mind Ezio?" Zita asked him as he twirled her "There is nothing going on" Ezio replied "Are you jealous?" Ezio suddenly pulled her so close she felt his breath brushing her skin "I'm not jealous at anyone" he whispered and softly kissed her cheek. Zita blushed deeply; her face now flushed a pinkish color. After that the guests began to leave one after the other and soon only a few people were left in the Palazzo Auditore.

Zita sat there on the bench sipping on the wine Federico had given her, she swirled the contents a bit and looked up at the group consisting of Giovanni, Uberto and Lorenzo. They were definitely talking about something important by the way Lorenzo looked at Giovanni who was currently speaking. "My lady, your bath is ready" Lotte said walking up to her mistress "Thank you Lotte" she placed the glass on the bench and said goodnight to the men.

She lay there on the bed staring up at the ceiling when the door creaked open. Ezio entered taking off is doublet, his chemise and his boots. For the first time Zita saw him remove the red ribbon that tied his hair together, he slipped into the bed next to her and she slowly turned to her side. "…Goodnight" she said Ezio replied with a grunt and also turned to his side facing away from her. She pursed her lips and wondered about Ezio's sudden mood swings.


	4. Family

Alryt one comment! :D

I always put in angst no matter how hard I try not to :(

Psssh...how long should I endure this? More Petruccio love! :D

* * *

Kuchen barked loudly when the pigeons landed in front of the palazzo gates. The pigeons were always the same wherever you go. Always fat and always gray. The bloodhound ran through a flock and watched as the birds flew away to the nearest rooftop, Zita sat quietly by the courtyard wriggling her bare feet. Ezio had been so busy with his errands given to him by his parents they had met only during breakfast and at dinner. Wherever he goes she was always unsure where. Kuchen came up to her and begged for a scratch behind the ear.

"Buon giorno Zita!" the said girl looked up to see the youngest member of the Auditore household. "Petruccio, you shouldn't be out here, you are supposed to stay in bed" Zita told him, she was informed before that young Petruccio was ill and needed to stay indoors most of the time. The young boy shrugged and sat beside Zita "I wanted to go outside because your dog seems fun" he said reaching out to pat Kuchen's big head. The dog groaned and snuggled against the boy Zita smiled at him and smoothed back Kuchen's thick fur. "You know I've always wondered what's life is like beyond those walls" Petruccio said "Oh can you tell me what you saw out there Zita?" he suddenly asked the girl next to him.

Zita pursed her lips and thought hard about it "Please! I promise I'll return to my room after this" he pleaded "Oh alright but you better keep that promise alright?" Zita said poking Petruccio's nose, he laughed and then nodded. "How do I start this…Imagine beyond those walls are rolling hills dotted with cypress trees and fields of red, yellow and white flowers. No clouds but just the big blue sky above your head and the wind brushing at your face with birds singing and rabbits frolicking-" "What are rabbits Zita?" Petruccio asked "They're small creatures that are often small enough to fit in the palm of your hand they've also got long pointy ears and small twitchy noses" Zita explained twitching her nose in front of the boy.

Petruccio laughed again "You're funny Zita, I can't wait to see everything you told me about!" he said then perked up "Oh! Tell me about the times you went hunting!" he exclaimed. Zita chuckled "But you promised after that you have to go back inside" Petruccio groaned "Please Zita just one more story please" the young girl sighed "…Alright one more and then you go back to bed" she told him "Grazie!" Petruccio said leaning in closer.

"Alright where shall I start?" she said thinking of which memory was the best to tell "About your first time, a girl like you shouldn't hunt they say" the boy said "True, but do you know who inspired me to take up hunting?" "Who?" Zita smiled at his curiosity "Sir Eduard" she answered and sighed deeply. "Was he like…your first love?" Petruccio said tilting his head to the side "Huh? Oh no he wasn't…I guess you can say that I liked him but he never liked me. He often invited me to his hunts that I became so hooked on it like it was meant for me. My mother allowed me to do so because she never saw me that happy before…But then things changed when Eduard married my friend Christiane and now they're living in Germany. Hunting suddenly became a normal hobby and I lost everything I had for it" she forced a smile trying to keep the mood positive.

"Don't be sad Zita" Petruccio said "I'm not crying! I just feel down after remembering" she said with a chuckle "But what about your trophies?" Petruccio said still interested in the topic "Well I never really held a bow and arrow before to kill, my mother's servant Berend taught me how to aim and shoot but I've never really done that not even once" Zita told him "Not even once why?" the boy said with wide eyes "Maybe because I'm not brave enough to take away life…" she smoothed back Petruccio's hair and grinned. "Petruccio! What are you doing outside?" the two looked up to see Ezio back home early from his work "Ezio! Zita tells the most amazing stories!" Petruccio told his brother "Yes that's nice but you should be in bed resting. It's not good for your health" Ezio advised him "Yes Ezio" then the boy turned to face Zita. "Will you tell me more stories later?" Zita smiled down at him "Yes later" the boy grinned widely and hugged Zita, surprising the girl a bit. "Thank you Zita!" he said and went back in the house. "Doesn't he have any friends to play with?" Zita asked her fiancé "He used to. But when his illness caught up to him and they all forgot about him" Ezio said, he looked a bit disgruntled and his hair was in a mess plus there was a straw of hay sticking out of his sleeve. "Did you dive in a hay stack?" Zita asked him "What?" she pointed at the straw and quickly pulled it out.

Ezio rolled his eyes and walked towards the door "I was being chased by guards so I had to hide" Zita raised an eyebrow at him "Which family guards this time?" she said. Ezio grunted and entered the palazzo. Giovanni watched the whole thing from his office window, Maria walked up to his side and looked down as well "What is wrong dear?" she asked him "I think what Ezio really needs is to open up to Zita what do you think?" he said to his wife "I think they need to spend time together amore mio…" Maria replied smiling at her husband.

"And then the rabbit pops out of its hole and into the bushes before Kuchen and Macaron could even notice it was gone" Zita exclaimed that evening at dinner, everyone chuckled or laughed at her story. "Kuchen was like 'Oh no where is the rabbit?' and Macaron just acted like nothing happened" they laughed again and paused for a short break "Oh Zita those were amazing hunting stories, but I really love the goose chase better" Federico said sipping on his wine "Yes, very amusing" Maria said with a wide smile "Tell them about the fishing one" Petruccio said tugging on Zita's sleeve a bit. "Oh the fishing one right, well I was there with Sir Berend and Sir Eduard when Berend threw his line into the lake. The lake by the way is always occupied by small boats and people so there was this boat that passed by and suddenly Sir Berend fell off the port and into the water! And I told him after 'Well it seems you got hooked on the boat'" the family laughed again.

They then heard footsteps and Ezio appeared in the hallway "Ezio I'm glad you came just in time" Giovanni said to his son "Zita was telling us funny stories of her best hunting days" Petruccio told him "Come sit Ezio, Zita made us this…what do you call it again?" "Afelstrudel" Zita told her mother-in-law "Yes, yes afelstrudel it's very delicious" Ezio looked hesitant then finally said "Umm grazie but I already ate dinner at Adriana" he said and went upstairs to sleep. Zita bit her tongue and forced herself to smile the whole evening.  
After dinner everyone went to retire in their bedrooms, however Petruccio wanted to hear more of Zita's stories before going to bed. The little boy was in his night garbs as he tucked himself in the bed, Zita was there by his side looking down at him. "Zita are you sad?" he asked her "What? No, I'm not" she replied "Do you want to hear another story?" she said fiddling with Petruccio's hair and tickling him a bit "Yes please" the boy replied.

"When I was young I met this woman by the woods and she was the strangest woman I had ever seen. She lived in a tiny cottage just outside Vienna and surrounding her house were lavenders, hundreds of violet flowers covered her home and inside it was very cozy and warm. She told me feelings can be shown through flowers" Zita looked down at Petruccio who was still listening intently at her story. "Feelings like love, sadness, happiness and even anger are expressed through those tiny things. It amazed me so often, which is why I wanted mother to make a huge garden to plant flowers and trees because we're all part of nature the woman said to me and one day we will be part of it again" Zita started telling Petruccio about which flower meant and all the while the young boy began to grow tired and eventually fell asleep.

"Buona notte Petruccio" Zita whispered and took the candlestick to guide her back to her bedroom. Ezio was there asleep already, Zita placed the candle on her vanity table and took off her clothes on her own. Her mother taught her countless time to do it because she might never know when her maids would be unavailable. She slipped into her nightgown herself, satisfied that she did something on her own. She placed the candlestick on the bedside table and slipped into the sheets carefully, she blew out the candle and finally rested her head on the pillows. She glanced over at her shoulder to check if Ezio was still awake but found it he wasn't. Zita sighed and pulled the sheets above her head.

Dawn came upon Firenze, the sunlight had seeped into the bedroom. Zita groaned as she rolled to her side and her hand landed on the warm spot where Ezio used to sleep. "He's gone again…" she sat up and leaned against the headboard today was a Sunday and it is expected that she went to church. She chose a rose colored gown and shoes to go with it; the maids brushed her hair into a half ponytail and used a pink ribbon to tie it together. Ezio wore his usual doublet when Zita came down for breakfast, after which the family went off to church however Giovanni had to stay behind for his work.  
Zita wrapped her arm around Ezio's like she did and found that he didn't react even just a bit.

They went to mass at Santa Maria Novella where Zita prayed that Petruccio will be well she glanced over at Ezio and still he acted like a statue towards her.  
After which they went to the busiest streets of Firenze to look at anything they were interested in. Maria could sense the air of discomfort between the two and frowned deeply at this. Zita noticed this and smiled at her mother-in-law instead.

"By the way Zita have you thought about your wedding dress?" Claudia asked trying to lighten the mood "My wedding dress? Oh now that you mentioned it I haven't yet" Zita replied "Then we should prepare your wedding dress instead! Come I know of a very good dressmaker here in Firenze" Zita smiled at her sister-in-law's effort and followed her everywhere. There were so many designs for one particular gown and Zita was not the type to choose immediately. There were gowns with pearls, some had rubies while other gowns were gold and others in a cheery color. "So which is it Zita?" Claudia asked interested in choosing a gown as well "…I'd go for the simpler one, it's much cheaper but still eye-catching" Zita said choosing the white gown with pearl embroidery "Bene. I'll have it done when is the wedding going to be held?" the dressmaker asked them. Zita blinked and glanced over at Ezio. With their current relationship there was a minimum chance the wedding would ever occur "Umm some time next month in September" Zita said to the man "Alright and congratulations by the way" the girl chuckled and forced down that feeling.  
When they returned home Zita had received a letter from her brother. She carefully opened the letter and read its contents.

_"Dear Zita,_

_I hope by now you are happy with your fiancé. _  
_ Remember very well that the union of the families rests in your marriage and without it the family will fall into ruin. I have heard from Giovanni that you are experiencing a crisis between you and your fiancé. A girl like you that possess such charisma and exquisiteness could never lose to such a thing. An arranged marriage like this has its difficulties at first but when you both open up to each other like two formal lovers then you will feel most at ease. _  
_ I am also happy to inform you that Gustavo will marry Elisabetta this coming Friday and I hope that you attend along with your fiancé._

_Your brother,_

_Gregorio D'Angelo"_

While Zita had been reading the letter, Ezio saw her saddened expression he grunted not knowing what to do whether to approach her or not. "What are you confused about?" Federico appeared by the hallway and saw Zita who was reading the letter over again. He shook his head at Ezio "You know the more you're going to stay silent the more you're going to make her sad. Ezio, you need to face the fact that Zita will be your wife" he told his brother "Sono informato del quel lo ringrazio (I'm aware of that thank you)" Ezio replied "So what's the problem?" Federico asked "I just think…I just have this feeling in me whenever I'm near her, it's not the same feeling I get when I'm around women" the eldest brother then coughed "Ezio. That's amore. (love.) You're in love baby brother!" Ezio scratched his head not quite sure if it was love or just some strange feeling. "How do you even know if it's love?" Ezio said to his brother "I know because you just don't admit it. So why aren't you making your usual moves?" "Because! She looks so young, it's like I'm going to make love to a child!" Ezio exclaimed "Then it's your job to make her a woman Ezio and by the way she can handle her liquor more than you" Federico winked and went off to maybe enjoy the day.

At the same time Zita walked up to him, "Um Ezio there is something you should know" she said "What is it?" Ezio asked calming down a bit "My brother is getting married this Friday and I was hoping that you would come with me to Milano to attend their wedding" Zita said "Erm…I'm not sure" "Please? I mean—it's okay if you don't want to…" she glanced down at the floor half-embarrassed at what she just said. Ezio suddenly took the letter from her hands "W-Wait!" Zita said but found it too late to ever retrieve it back. "…Alright I will come with you" Ezio said "Really?" the girl suddenly perked up "Yes now-" Ezio was cut off when Zita wrapped her arms around him in a hug "Thank you, thank you very much you have no idea how happy this makes me" she let go of him and ran to search for her maids and Lucio.

Maria came up the stairs when she saw Ezio leaning by the wall stunned, "Ezio are you okay mio caro?" she asked him "Huh?" Ezio blinked "I said are you okay my son?" "Si madre. It looks like I'm coming with Zita to Milano, her brother is getting married and we are required to go there" Maria then lightened up by the news "Very well. Ezio, be sure to keep Zita safe when you're there in Milano" "I will mother" Ezio smiled a bit and looked over at Zita telling her maids of the good news.

By the time that the carriage arrived the next day, Zita was never this excited to come back to Milan for her brother's wedding. However the sudden thought of the duke made her stop. Ezio saw this and asked her what was wrong "Nothing," she said smiling "It's just that my brother is getting married to the one he loves, it makes me very happy" she glanced outside her window and saw the cypress trees along the hills and fields. "Petruccio wanted to see this…" she muttered "He'll be able to one day" Ezio told her.  
She looked at him surprised that he responded quite like himself "Yes he will" the journey back to Milan had been short and soon they were at the gates. Zita took a deep breath and ran up the stairs of the palazzo "Hey! There's my little torta! (cake!)" Gustavo exclaimed and Zita immediately jumped into his arms "Oh congratulations!" Zita said as she was being put down, she glanced back at Ezio and pulled him to her brother "Gustavo, this is Ezio Auditore" she said "Ah my dearly beloved sister's fiancé, this is really funny because just last week I was expecting you two to be married already" Gustavo said with a chuckle "But you two are still young so I understand" a woman with long black hair stepped into the room, she wore a beautiful white dress and pretty diamonds ornamented her snood.

"There she is the sunshine of my life" Gustavo said, Zita greeted her new sister-in-law with a smile. The maids prepared the bedroom for the couple; Zita walked up to the window and saw the garden had added more flowers and trees much to Zita's delight. "Look they've added marigolds to the flower beds" she told Ezio, "They're kind of pretty" Ezio said looking out the window as well "They mean pain and grief actually" Zita said and looked about in the room. "Come on, Federico tells me this is your first time out of Tuscany" Zita said pulling Ezio to the door "My what a surprising turn of events" Fortunata was there in a dark blue dress that showed little amount of cleavage around her neck was a black choker with sapphire gems. "I'm astounded to see you here in Milan" she said "I wouldn't dare miss our brother's wedding" Zita said grasping Ezio's hand for support, Fortunata saw and smirked.

"An engaged couple with no engagement ring, now I've seen everything" she said. Ezio felt Zita's grasp loosen and move away from his own he looked down at her stern face with her lips thinning into a line. "Probably because Fortunata, I wanted to know my fiancé more before he buys the engagement ring, I'm the type who doesn't rush into things without thinking" Zita said to her sister. Fortunata smirked "We'll see little…torta" she said and walked down the hallway.

The wedding was to be held at Santo Stefano Maggiore with the traditional theme of white with little amounts of blue. Zita's little nieces were to be flower girls while Flavio's youngest son was to be the ring bearer. Everyone was excited and anxious for the big day, Zita chose which white gown would suit her best for the event. "Which one do you think is nice?" she asked Ezio who was sitting on the bed unaware that Zita was asking him "Huh what?" he said "…Nothing" she chose another set of white dress and finally found a simple one with blue ribbons all over.

"This one is perfect, doesn't it look pretty Ezio?" the said man nodded his head at her and glanced at the window. Zita frowned, placing her dress on the bed and ordered her maids to leave her for a while. "Is there something wrong?" Zita asked him quietly "Yes there is. You told your sister that you don't rush into things without thinking" Ezio said "Ezio I thought about this engagement properly and I've decided what was right for me and my family including yours" she told him.

The young Auditore sighed and leaned against the window frame "…I'm sorry if this is making you confused" Zita said clasping her hands together in front "It's okay I just need time to adjust to all of this" the girl beside him smiled and glanced out the window as well "You know I said the same thing to myself when I arrived here in Italy. Give me time to adjust and I'll be able to learn about it more." Ezio's mouth twitched into a smile for a moment and glanced out the window to look at the gardens, he squinted his eyes for a second seeing someone walk down the limestone walkway.

"Who is that?" he pointed "Who?" Zita asked stretching her neck to see what he was pointing at "That man over there" he said "Oh that is Orsino, Fortunata's husband" Zita told him "Why is he with that woman?" Ezio kept asking "I don't know maybe she's a relative or friend" What happened next was what they didn't expect. Orsino bent down to plant a kiss on the woman's lips. Ezio and Zita quickly turned away from the sight "Well…" Ezio cleared his throat "Relatives don't usually kiss each other on the lips" he said "And neither do friends" Zita replied.

She placed a hand on her chest and heaved a sigh "If my sister finds out she is going to be depressed" "If she finds out that is" Ezio stated. Zita looked up at him then laughed, "Come there are lots of things you need to discover here aside from that" she took his hand and led him to the gardens. In one section there was a small area to plant the vegetables and sometimes berries "Hello signore, had the berries grown yet?" Zita said "Yes they have, my son has gathered some and will be sold to the market later" the gardener said "Oh, can we have some at least please?" Zita said "Why sure" the old man nodded and went back to his work.

Zita grabbed Ezio's hand once again and brought him to the kitchen where the maids were working on the lunch "Buon giorno madonna" one maid said "Are there still some berries left?" she asked them "Si madonna" a servant handed them a small basket filled with different types of berries. "Ezio open your mouth" Zita said "What?" Ezio blinked then tasted something in his mouth; Zita smiled and popped one strawberry in hers. "What was that thing?" Ezio asked as they walked out of the kitchen "That was a blackberry, you never tasted any of it?" Zita said handing him another "Not really" Ezio said looking down at the small fruit in Zita's hand. The young girl chuckled "Try it, you might never know when you're going to taste it again" she said.

The couple sat down by the stairs of the wine cellar talking about things they haven't tried and have tried. "Have you ever tried antipasto?" Ezio said "What's that?" Zita asked him while chewing on her last blueberry "It is usually a plate full of meat eaten before pasta" he explained to her "Oh, I should ask the servants to serve some maybe in dinner" Zita said looking down at her feet. "What about hunting have you ever tried it?" she glanced up at him "Hunting…well not really but I've joined so many contests that involve hunting an animal down" Ezio answered.  
"You should, especially when Kuchen and Macaron have caught the scent of their prey and they just chase it till the end!" she exclaimed and glanced back at Ezio.

Gregorio stared at them from his office window with a big smile on his face. "What do you see amore?" Bianca, his wife, asked. "Nothing it's just my little sister and her fiancé" he replied "Surely by now those two would get along" Bianca said "Yes and I hoped so. The Auditore has its reputation of being close friends of the Medici and it's a great opportunity to collaborate with the ruler as well" Gregorio said. Bianca shook her head at her husband "Dear sometimes, it's not always about reputation and business when it comes to marriage" she said however Gregorio was already busy doing his paperwork.  
That evening at dinner, Zita wore a lilac dress with plain embroidery and some ornamented hairpins to keep her straight hair in place. Fortunata was speaking to her husband rather closely and Orsino's face said otherwise, Ezio leaned closer to Zita to whisper something in her ear. The girl let out a nervous laughter and smacked Ezio's shoulder lightly; Fortunata glanced at them seeing how Zita's eyes were directed at her.

The others paid no mind whilst eating, Basilio then started his funny stories about his days at work everyone laughed and chuckled. "By the way my cousin from France brought some drink called champagne" Lucrezia, Cirino's wife said. The maids brought in a bottle, "Careful dear the cork pops when you remove it" she told her husband. Indeed the cork did pop and it landed meters away from the table, "Shall we?" each filled their glass and took a sip. "It's very good" Zita said "It is" Lucrezia replied.

Each couple returned to their bedrooms to retire however Zita brought one bottle to bring back to Firenze. "Just a souvenir we'll be able to use for the wedding…" she then quieted down and placed the bottle on the bedside table. She removed each pin from her hair and returned it to its case, she gradually removed her dress on her own and let it fall to the floor. She sighed and waked over to the bed where Ezio was, she slipped inside the sheets and blew out the candle beside her. Biting her lip, she inched closer to Ezio and placed her head on his shoulder. The man opened his eyes a bit and looked down at the young girl; she placed her hand on his and smiled. "Goodnight" she said "…Goodnight" Ezio replied and soon slept.

"There is really something going on between that young couple" Donata said the next day "Oh don't push it. Everyone knows the rumors about her fiancé" Felisa said fanning herself quietly "Well with looks like those he is bound to be a womanizer" Lucrezia sighed and glanced over at Bianca who shook her head at them "Zita is only a girl and they're both young. Ezio may have a reputation of being a womanizer but that doesn't mean Zita has to destroy the marriage because of that" she said.

The children all ran around the room shouting and playing with each other, Lucrezia rolled her eyes at the eldest sister-in-law "Might you forget Bianca your husband was also a womanizer in his younger days" Bianca stared up at them with a straight face "We've learned our lesson Lucrezia and evidently we've been a happy family for a long time."  
Zita's eyes fluttered open and she saw Ezio getting dressed for the day "Buon giorno" she said lazily "Buon giorno, did I wake you?" he asked "Not really" she said with a smile. It was Wednesday, and just one more day before the wedding. Zita wore a forest green dress with slashed sleeves to breakfast all the while Ezio had been talking with Gustavo and Jovanni.

"Zita" Gregorio called out from the door of his office "I would like a word with you please" Zita excused herself to her fiancé and went to her brother's workplace. There was a large fireplace to the left of the room, a large desk that held every article of Gregorio's work, chairs and a bookshelf. "Sit" he said gesturing to the chair, Zita did willingly and waited for her brother to speak. "Yesterday you were making progress with Ezio and I'm glad things have changed even for a bit" Gregorio said "Grazie mio fratello" Zita responded "And your Italian is getting better. But I can't help but ask when you're wedding is to be held" he told her.  
Zita smiled at him "We've already decided it would fall on September ten at Santa Croce" she said "That's great. I have a letter from mother it just arrived yesterday" he handed her a white envelope, Zita anxiously took it from Gregorio's hand and looked up at her brother. "Thank you" she said and head back to her room to read it. Although its contents were not what she expected.

_"My dearest daughter Zita,_

_It appears that your relationship between Ezio has not been elaborated enough by Gregorio._  
_ You should know by now that your marriage to him is very crucial for the family as well as your identity. And by informing you now rather than later, it is also needed that you must inspire him in order to flourish the marriage even better. In other words, you must bear a child to clear things at last. Your brother Gustavo will be married and Jovanni still has his fiancée. Just watch when their wives get pregnant and continue on the family lineage for them._  
_ A child can make a great impact on anyone no matter how disputed you are._

_Your mother_  
_ Ambra"_

Zita bit her lip and leaned against the wall letting the letter fall to the floor. "How can I bear a child when he doesn't even show much affection towards me?"

Friday, the wedding bells rang as the couple thanked each and everyone in the crowd. Zita could see just three uncles with their wives but no children present, Elisabetta's had a large family thus more guests. At the reception, many guests took pleasure in the drinks. "Oh my he's such an eye candy" one woman probably Ezio's age said to her friend, they were staring at the young man who leaned against a wall away from the others. Ezio noticed this and smirked at them "Did you see that? He smirked at me!" the girl exclaimed.

Fortunata smiled slyly, Zita was busy talking to the other guests and was oblivious of what was happening. The eldest sister walked over to the two girls and told them to move, she walked her way to Ezio and smiled. "Buona sera signore" Fortunata said "Buona sera" Ezio replied "…I like men your type" she told him "So sly, so…sneaky that you can just do things whenever you want" she smirked at him. "I thought you were supposed to be supportive of Zita, she is your sister" Ezio said "Sister? She never really was my sister" Fortunata said "What do you mean?" Ezio asked her.

"…They say she is an illegitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza. Which is why my mother brought her to Vienna to grow up in Viennese hands, when my father was still alive he had hoped that by your marriage the family wouldn't be put to shame anymore but guess what? Everyone thinks she's Austrian and now they hate her for who she is…she just doesn't know poor girl. Father died not knowing that his plans are falling into ruins because of her…presence" Fortunata said with a pout.

When the guests finally left it was time for everyone to rest, Zita crawled into bed drinking the last bit of wine from her glass. She snuggled against the pillows and moved closer to Ezio.  
"Your sister…" Ezio said quietly "What about her?" Zita looked up at his face "She told me something very strange" "Like what?" Zita slowly sat up "…She told me about your father, your mother and the whole reason for this marriage" he told her "When did she tell you?" Zita asked. When Ezio didn't reply straight after, Zita took her robes and walked out of the bedroom. "Zita! Zita wait!" she walked right up to her sister's bedroom and knocked on her door furiously the door opened to reveal Orsino "Let me through" Zita said.

Fortunata lay in bed drinking wine when Zita walked up to her and grabbed the glass from her hand then splashed its contents in her face. Fortunata gasped and then slapped Zita across the face "How dare you! You ungrateful little puttana! (Whore!)" "Why did you tell him! Why did you do it?" Zita exclaimed as she pulled on Fortunata's hair. Ezio pulled her off her sister and the hysteric girl kicked and screamed in his grasp. "Why? I'll tell you why! Because I hate you! The family's name is in shambles all because you were born!" Fortunata exclaimed "Fortunata! That's enough!" Gregorio exclaimed as he stepped into the room. "No it's not enough! You are a damn bastard child of that man no matter what! A damn bastardo do you hear me?" Zita slipped out of Ezio's grip and ran out of the palazzo. "Zita!" Ezio ran after her into the streets, the girl tripped and landed on the ground with a thump.

Ezio helped her up to her knees but she refused to be held "I can't do this anymore! I can't stand telling things about me behind my back! I'm not his child, not anymore!" Zita cried, her tears falling onto the pavement. "…C'mon Zita, let's get back to the palazzo" he said carrying the girl in his arms, Zita whimpered softly against Ezio's chest "You probably don't like someone helpless like me" she said wiping her tears with the back of her hand. Ezio chuckled "Actually I like women in distress" he said and descended up the stairs of the palazzo.

All her brothers were there at the lobby "What happened?" Flavio asked "She tripped along the way" Cirino pushed Zita's long hair out of the way of her face to see a nasty bruise to the forehead. Gregorio sighed and told Ezio to bring his sister to their room.  
Once Ezio settled her down on the bed, Lotte and Amalia went to fetch a towel and a bowl of water. "I think I'll look hideous in the morning" Zita said smiling a bit "No you won't…" Ezio assured her. Lotte came back with the wet towel and proceeded to wipe the bruise "Wait let me" Ezio said taking the towel from the maid.

He carefully dabbed the bruise which made Zita wince in pain, "It's just a bruise it'll heal don't worry" he said "Why do you care all of a sudden? I thought you disliked me" Zita said glancing over at Ezio. "I used to until your sister revealed who you really were" he dipped the towel into the water and cleaned the rest of Zita's face "But why? I'm just no one compared to those women in Firenze especially Cristina…" she frowned "Probably because the truth made me open my eyes to everything and in that way I understand the whole purpose of this" Ezio said "…But you don't even love me" Zita said softly that a tear trickled down her cheek.

Ezio leaned forward and wiped the tear from her face "…I'll try"


	5. Roses

I think the reason why Nene named this chapter Roses is because it reflects the saying 'Life can't be a bed of roses' or whatever it was that had the same meaning.  
Anyways here's another chapter of the story.

Ezio did mention that Vieri had a sister...so why don't we get to know her shall we? :D Petruccio's secret revealed! XD

Oh and wiki Saint Martin of Tours if you wonder why we chose his feast day for the event. . . which will be in the next chapter *SPOILER!*

Lastly, we all know what white roses symbolize right?

* * *

The first thing that Zita will do when they return to Firenze is to announce to everyone that they've finally came into good terms with each other. "Oh did you bring the champagne I asked?" Zita said her eyes widening a bit "I have it" Ezio said raising the said bottle in front of her face. She took the bottle and kept it in the trunk with the other souvenirs "_Grazie_ Ezio" she said and walked to her brothers. The bruise was still visible on her forehead yet she paid no mind, she smiled and hugged each brother "I'm going to miss all of you" she said "Then write to us so you wouldn't feel lonesome" Basilio told her "I will" she then hugged her little nieces and nephews. "_Madonna_, the carriage has arrived" Lotte said head bowed down in front of her mistress, Zita smiled at her family one last time saying "I shall see you again someday" and walked down the palazzo. She glanced back seeing a familiar shadow by the windows, Ezio helped her up and followed her in.

The trip to Tuscany took longer than expected, Zita read a small book about Roman poetry whilst Ezio watched the view of the rocky hills. Abruptly Zita closed her book sighing, "Bored?" Ezio asked her, she smiled at him "A little. Do you want some _afelstrudel_?" she grabbed the box beside her that held the tasty bread "A what?" her fiancé said. Zita grinned and handed him a slice, "Oh be careful it's hot" she said taking out her handkerchief for him to use. "Grazie" he said reaching out for the material, Zita continued to smile and look out at the landscape outside the window.

The carriage had entered Firenze once again. Maria and Giovanni greeted the couple by the gate, Zita ran to them and hugged Maria first then Giovanni "Welcome home" Giovanni said to both of them. They spent a week in Milan instead of the usual three days hence the many gifts. "Hey Ezio! And here I thought you already got married in Milano!" Federico exclaimed wrapping a tight arm around Ezio "I get it!" the latter said. While the servants were unloading the carriage, Maria noticed the small bruise on Zita's forehead "Oh _mio dio_ did something happen to you?" she asked "Oh? This?" Zita pointed at the bump "It's nothing I just tripped when I was on my way to the market" she told her.

Kuchen and Macaron wagged their tails at their master's return "Hello there my darlings did you miss me?" Zita said patting their heads, she went upstairs to their bedroom and sighed touching the surface of the vanity table. Ezio entered the room rubbing his neck, he saw Zita sitting in front of her mirror again "Zita" the said girl glanced up surprised "Oh Ezio, what is it?" she asked him "Father asked me to go with him to the bank, will you be okay here by yourself?" he said. Zita huffed using a coy smile at him "I'll be alright I won't hit my head on the ground again" she said. Ezio smiled then bent down to plant a kiss on her forehead, just inches away from the mark "I'll be back early" he called out as he left.

Zita waved then remembered something; she stood up from her chair and head down to Petruccio's bedroom. There she found the boy gazing out the open window, Zita knocked on the doorway lightly to grab his attention. Petruccio turned around surprised "Zita! You're back!" he got up to run into her arms, she hugged the young boy thoughtfully.  
"Hey look at what I've been collecting when you were gone" he pulled Zita to a large wooden chest and opened it. Inside Zita saw black feathers "They're pretty Petruccio" she said "They are, I want to collect a lot" the boy told her "For whom is it intended?" Zita asked him "For _madre_. She's been doing so many great things for me I thought of collecting feathers and show it to her after" Petruccio said.  
He held one feather in his hand and twirled it. "But promise not to tell anyone alright?" Zita giggled quietly and smoothed Petruccio's hair "I promise" after which Petruccio noticed the angry bruise on Zita's forehead. "Where did you get that?" he asked, slightly poking the mark. "I got it from the market place and it only costs one clumsy person" Zita told him, the young boy laughed and showed other things he collected.

Ezio sighed as he stared out at beautiful Firenze on top of a church tower, "Why the long face baby brother?" Federico appeared smiling as he always did "Nothing" his brother sat down beside him and patted his back. "Hey if I was chosen to be Zita's husband, I'd make my move by now. Is it another love problem?" his older brother kept pestering him to no end about their current status. Ezio grunted and continued to stare at the orange rooftops "She's an illegitimate child to the Duke of Milan" he said. Federico huffed "Or so they say" Ezio turned his head at his brother, "You knew?" the eldest nodded. "You weren't informed because we thought you might reject Zita, it's tough for someone to be kept a secret from such a high ranking person." Federico was half-right though a person can't be hidden from a powerful individual that easily. "Anyways, I'm always here as moral support now matter how down you are baby brother" Ezio smiled at his brother and continued gazing at the rooftops thinking about Cristina Vespucci.

The family ate dinner without the father present. Zita was now sitting across Ezio with Petruccio and Claudia beside her. She passed some bread to Federico and talked more of her days back in Vienna, "Because she was French she had trouble speaking to us in German. Until the day she got it right, we were all happy of course but then she said something in German which actually translates to 'Oh yes we have to shoe his shine' and we just kept it a secret" Federico had almost choked on his water when Zita had mentioned the 'shoe his shine' part. "But what happened to her now? Is she still the same person she is?" Claudia asked "I doubt it" Zita replied.

Just then the head of the Auditore household appeared from his office, how he got there so quickly nobody knows. "I'm sorry I'm late for dinner, I got caught up at work" Giovanni said greeting his wife and children. Federico leaned next to Ezio a bit "Don't you think Zita is a little perked up than usual?" he whispered, Ezio looked up too seeing Zita smile at him with a distinct blush on her cheeks. When dinner was over, Giovanni had recommended an ointment of some sort for Zita's bruise.  
She thanked him and later applied it in her room, she dabbed the thing on her bruise and found it a little painful. "What's that?" Ezio asked while unbuttoning his shirt "Oh just some ointment your father gave me" Zita replied. She rubbed the ointment against her bruise and sighed in relief at the cooling effects it gave. Ezio took off his shirt and lied down on the bed Zita laid by his side and placed her hand on his like she always did every night.

"I think Ezio is a little bit shy whenever he's near you" Beatrice, a girl two years older than Zita, told her. Zita had met Beatrice in the party several days ago and she too became friends with the sisters Diamante, Giada and down-to-earth Gisella. They were all daughters of noblemen in Firenze and ideal women of society, Zita looked up to them as sisters and very close friends. "Ezio? Shy? That can't be right dear" Giada said sipping on tea imported all the way from England. Beatrice shook her head and continued her cross-stitching "Well he continuously refuses to do his usual thing with Zita like he does to all the other rich noble puttana here in Firenze, it's not quite…Ezio if he just stays there by Zita's side like a statue" she said. Giada nodded at that and threw a biscuit at her puppy.

"Maybe the womanizer has finally learned how to love" Diamante said and the other girls giggled "That would only happen if the world is upside-down" Gisella said warily. Zita sighed and silently wrote a letter to her mother in Vienna. The other girls kept giggling and laughing about the mishap Ezio encountered when he kept going to Cristina Vespucci's house or some other girl's room. "And do you remember we were passing by he just came out of the alley with no pants on?" they laughed again while Zita folded the letter and gave it to her maid "_Schicken Sie meiner Mutter dieses bitte_" she said quietly to Lotte. The maid nodded and went downstairs to hand the letter over to Lucio. Zita leaned against the doorway thinking about Ezio in another girl's room, making love or whatever he does with her. She sighed deeply and gazed at her silk blue gloves her mother sent her to 'charm' Ezio maybe.

"Zita darling you should try these delicious cakes from Sicily it's very wonderful" Gisella said. Zita glanced back at them and said a quiet 'No thank you' in her mind she wondered about the wedding, an unemotional Ezio waiting for her at the altar while the rest smiled at the beautiful bride coming in. It doesn't feel right somehow.  
The sun was high above Firenze, local street sweepers wiped their sweat off their brow as they worked day in and day out in the open. Zita fanned herself constantly with a feathered fan while she walked down the Ponte Vecchio.

"Oh look there's Messer Ezio's fiancée" "Pretty little thing isn't she?" "Too bad she's ignorant to the fact that her fiancé is running around Firenze chasing after girls older than her."  
When she came into the palazzo, Maria had announced that her wedding dress has arrived. She saw the pretty thing displayed on a mannequin with all its glory and radiance. Zita smiled as she touched the elegant pearls on the dress "It's very beautiful" she said.

For the rest of the days that Ezio was gone, Zita has always been seen on the Auditore balcony gazing down at the people with a sad face.  
"But watch when their wives get pregnant and continue the family lineage for them" her mother's words echoed in her head everyday with no end to it.  
Most of the time she stayed indoors in her different colored robes nibbling on biscuits and cakes while reading poetry.

September had just rolled in and the parents were asking her if she ought to continue the wedding "I am to marry him right?" Zita said innocently "I'm just waiting for him" she gazed back outside the window and watched two birds fly into the sunset.  
The very next day Zita was outside strolling in a peach gown with white laces along the collar. Her hair was in a tight bun showing everyone her rose quartz earrings "Oh look at her she has an incredibly small bosom" two women giggled behind their fans.

Beatrice glared at them and glanced back at Zita "Don't mind them, they're just two old widows with nothing to do but criticize someone for their jewelry" she said. Zita smiled at her friend then they saw Cristina Vespucci walking with her own circle of friends or followers that follow her wherever she went because they feel 'extra pretty' when they were with her.  
They did not exchange greetings, their eyes told them everything and Zita felt something step on her long gown. She glanced back at Cristina and then at Beatrice "Well that was unnecessary" she said. After saying goodbye to her friend Zita thought of lounging about in the bath which she did.

She sat there in the cool water wondering if she could return to Vienna even just for a week to stroll in her gardens again.  
Zita chose a nightgown dyed in pink then a pale green robe. She walked to the balcony again that evening and sat on the chair provided for her. All of a sudden in the midst of silence she heard a strange noise like a lute and singing? Zita got up from her chair and looked down at the streets below.

There was a band of five to six men all singing an Italian song that Zita couldn't translate well but they all harmonized in a way that it was beautiful. She smiled at them and soon a ladder leaned on the balcony surprising the girl, her maids came to check as well and find out what's going on. To Zita's surprise in front of her was an elegantly arranged bouquet of two hundred white roses. "White roses…" she sighed and saw something around one red rose bud. A gold ring. She finally got the clue to who was the giver of the roses, Ezio appeared behind them with a smile only the women of Firenze could recognize.

"Is this what you've been doing for the past weeks? Gathering roses?" she said "Gathering, buying and finding white roses plus I needed help from my friends to get everything done" he told her.  
Zita smiled at him "Hey I did say I would try to love you" Ezio said and took the red rose from the bouquet and handed it to her "_Al mio amore_ (To my love)" he slipped the ring into her finger and bent down to give a soft kiss on her lips. Even though the contact lasted a few seconds it sends sparks down Zita's body and made her shiver.

He had kissed her. He had finally kissed her on the lips. "…Thank you" she whispered to him softly "_Congratulazioni ad entrambi voi!_ (Congratulations to both of you!)" One of Ezio's friends shouted and they began to play a different song. Zita laughed at the joyous festivity and looked back at Ezio. At last the wedding will finally begin.  
News spreads fast across Firenze and the heralds were now announcing the wedding day of Signore Ezio Auditore and Signora Zita D'Angelo.  
Zita and her maids had given out so many invitations to the family's friends including hers. She sent letters to her brothers in Milan and a letter to her mother in Vienna.

She lay on the couch exhausted, her cheeks and forehead tinged with a little pink. "Tired already?" she looked up seeing Federico playing with one of Zita's feathered fans. "A little. Did you send the letters to your friends already?" Zita asked him "Of course I did. By the way did you include all of Ezio's friends as well?" Zita chuckled at her brother-in-law "I did and the rest of the nobles including Lorenzo de Medici" she sighed leaning back against the cushions of the couch. Federico smiled down at her "By the way Federico when are you going to get married?" Zita suddenly asked him "What do you mean?" the girl sat up from the couch and stared up at him.

"You mean to say you have no intention of marrying?" she said, Federico shrugged and sat down on the empty space "Let's just say I can't since I'm still interested in choosing someone of beauty and nobility" Zita rolled her eyes at his antic "But all the women here in Firenze are" Federico pursed his lips and tickled Zita's nose with the fan. "Stop it" she said giggling "Does it really tickle?" "Oh Federico!" Ezio stepped inside the lounge seeing his brother tickle Zita on the couch. He cleared his throat to get their attention, Federico stopped and looked up at his brother. "Welcome back Ezio!" he said helping up Zita from the couch, the girl ran over to Ezio and hugged him "Did you send the invitations already?" she asked him "Si. It was no problem" Ezio replied. Federico then gathered them to a big hug "Ah! Federico!" Zita exclaimed as she was being sandwiched between the two Auditore boys "Let us go already" Ezio groaned.

Maria had stepped in and saw the whole scene "Federico, please let Zita and Ezio go we still have much to discuss about!" she said "Yes mother" Federico sighed, his fun was over.  
They had consulted the priest in Santa Croce to do their wedding ceremony, the priest Father Amadeo had agreed to bring the couple together for Holy Matrimony. Zita wrapped her arm around Ezio's as they walked down the piazza together and no one dared to talk about the Austrian-Italian girl while she was with her fiancé. She finally felt some kind of protection now that she's with him and will be with him for the rest of her life.

At the eve before the wedding, Zita turned in the bed facing Ezio. His lips twitched into a smile,  
then he pulled her close to him. Slowly his hand started to roam her body and soon he was on top of her, kissing her then he stopped.  
"Forgive me" he said and rolled to his side facing away from her, "It's okay" Zita said rubbing Ezio's arm lightly instead she wrapped her arms around him the whole night.

On the day of the wedding Zita walked down the aisle carefully as Maria taught her how to. Everyone she knew was present, so many people were there just to attend this event. She felt somewhat uneasy as she stared at everyone's faces and heard their whispers. Once Zita neared Ezio he gladly took her hand and led her to the altar to which they announce their vows.  
"_I, Ezio gli prende Zita per essere la mia moglie. Prometto di essere allineare a voi nei buoni periodi e nel Male, nella malattia e nella salute. Lo amerò e honor voi tutti i giorni della mia vita._ (I, Ezio take you Zita to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.)" he said and slipped the wedding ring into her finger.

Zita sighed and picked up the wedding ring intended for Ezio. "_I, Zita prende voi, Ezio per il mio marito legale, per avere e tenere, a partire da questo giorno di andata, per migliore, per più difettoso, per più ricco, per più povero, nella malattia e nella salute, fino a che la morte non li faccia divisorio._ (I, Zita take you, Ezio for my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.)" she said and did the same to Ezio.

Father Amadeo smiled at the two, "_Avete dichiarato il vostro consenso prima della chiesa. Maggio il signore nella sua qualità rinforza il vostro consenso e lo riempie entrambi di sue benedizioni. Che il dio si è unito, uomini non deve divider. Amen _(You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings. That God has joined, men must not divide. Amen)" he said aloud.

Ezio lifted up Zita's veil over her head and at long last kissed her after enduring so many trials. Everyone rejoiced and threw white petals over the newly-wedded couple, but then Ezio found someone missing in his family. His father was not there beside his mother.

Zita had also noticed, she glanced at her family and saw her mother nowhere in the crowd.

The celebration went on in the palazzo Auditore where Ezio and Zita celebrated with a dance. She smiled at him whenever he held her hand or when he pulled her close to him, her brothers had given her new gowns, shoes and diamonds from their relative who lives in France. They also gave Ezio a noble white steed bred for the purpose of racing.  
Zita thanked each one of them for their wonderful gifts, "Oh and by the way Zita" Gregorio said leading her away from her husband and guests. "Mother apologizes for not attending the wedding" he said "It's alright, but whatever is her reason, that I should know" Zita said looking up at him. Gregorio looked hesitant for a second until he told her "Mother has remarried…to a Conte (Count) but this man will consider you as his daughter and will give you shares of his income as well as jewelries" Gregorio explained to her.

Zita smile thinned into a line "…Tell mother I have no need of the man's diamonds or whatsoever, I already have a godmother in France who is going to send me diamonds once in every year" she said unkindly and returned to the wedding celebration.  
"So are you two planning to make children?" Gisella asked them, Ezio looked unsure and Zita bit her lip. "We're just planning just not right now" Zita told her she held Ezio's hand firmly and smiled at him.  
All she could do was just smile and try to forget about it. Zita washed her face thoroughly and then choked on a sob.

It was November, the sky had turned gray and the wind became so cold. But this never stopped Zita's daily strolls around Firenze, the middle-class workers had called her Solitaria which means 'lonesome' since she always walked on her own accompanied by two faithful Austrian maids and two dogs.  
For this day Zita wore a gray gown with a white coat, her hair tied to a ponytail and a silver ring was on her finger instead of the wedding ring. She stared up at the sky sorrowfully.  
Her mother remarried someone she didn't know, being pestered by letters of having to bear a child and annoying rumors made by the married women.

"Buon giorno signorina Zita" she stopped from her walk and saw Vieri de' Pazzi with three guards accompanying him and two additional armored thugs Giovanni calls Brutes. Zita stepped back when he approached her "No need to be alarmed I am just merely here to apologize" Vieri said taking a deep bow in front of the lady. "Why do you apologize now? Do you have some evil plot to take me away from my husband?" Vieri chuckled as he stood straight "I wouldn't do anything vile as that signorina-" "Or have you heard from those talkative women about the recent diamonds that just came in from France?" Zita said carefully. The man's brow twitched and scowled for a second "I'm not sure what you mean Signorina care to explain?" he said, Zita shifted her eyes to the guards with their swords and axes ready to strike anytime by the command from their master.

"…No need. Well it's been a delight talking to you but I have to return home, my husband doesn't allow me to walk all morning" Zita said confidently "But can I at least escort the young lady back to her home?" Vieri said and offered his arm to her "…Be glad Vieri that I am forgiving unlike my husband" she said and wrapped her am around his "I am signorina" the began to walk back to the palazzo Auditore. People turned their heads at them and they started to gossip. Zita paid no mind, she always had and always will.

They didn't converse until they reached the palazzo, Zita let go of Vieri's arm and thanked him "Oh and Signorina" she turned around to face him again. "Firenze has an annual horse race this coming feast day of San MArtin and it would be very excellent if you come to watch us race" Zita glanced back at her maids who obviously suggested she decline. "We shall see and thank you again for escorting me back home" Zita reached out her hand to him to which Vieri promptly held and kissed as of custom. He stood, bowed and walked away from the gate. Zita turned to the door and told her maids to bring her a towel and a bowl of water.

At the family room, Petruccio was playing with wooden soldiers while Claudia was learning how to do cross-stitching. Zita sat in the far corner reading another book. She dipped her biscotti in a glass of vin santo wine and took a bite, the door creaked open to let Giovanni, Federico and Ezio in. "Very cold outside it's best that no one goes out in the afternoon" Federico said clearly directing his statement at Zita. "How was your walk?" Ezio asked wrapping an arm around his wife "_Bene_" Zita replied and shoved a biscuit in his mouth. Federico acted like he shivered badly "It's going to be cold, best to keep each other warm for tonight" he winked at the two and went to the fireplace to keep himself warm.

Zita snickered "By the way have you heard about the horse race?" "_Corsa di cavallo?_ You're not thinking of entering the female division aren't you?" Ezio said pointing his finger at her "I'm not. Well it depends" she replied. "Are you really going to join Zita?" Petruccio asked her, "I would if your brother lets me" Zita said patting Ezio's cheek.  
The little boy began begging his brother but Ezio still said no at the same time Maria came into the room. "What is all the noise here?" she asked them "Mamma can you convince Ezio to let Zita join the corsa di cavallo please?" Petruccio said kneeling to the floor in front of his mother. Surprisingly Federico knelt beside him "Please madre?" he said copying all of Petruccio's expressions as well.

Maria sighed and looked over at Claudia. The girl merely shrugged and returned to what she was doing. "Alright, but I will tell you this as a warning Zita, riding is one of the leading causes of miscarriages" Maria said "I promise I will be careful" Zita replied. "Yes! Zita is going to take part in the race!" Petruccio exclaimed the couple laughed with the boy while Federico began tickling him. It seems that the eldest Auditore loved to tickle people uncontrollably.

"Wait does that mean you'll be watching us Petruccio?" Zita asked now that she thought about it. "Oh right" he frowned "…Don't worry Petruccio I'll make sure to win this for you" Zita told the young boy. Zita was a good rider; she rode countless horses when she was young back in Austria so racing was like 'first one to the hunt and return gets to win'.  
But Ezio and Federico were concerned; there were several other women who were good with horse racing and one of them was Fiore de Pazzi, Vieri's sister and one of Ezio's former love affairs. Zita didn't mind, she was glad there will be a fair competition with the women. The race was to be held outside of Firenze's walls on the feast day of San Martin which was eleventh of November. Zita approached swift Lucio and told him to fetch her horse named Edel from Vienna "I trust you with a valuable thing, will you be able to do it for me?" she said to her servant "Si madonna, I will do what pleases you" Zita smiled and dismissed him.

It was only November one and they have ten days to prepare for the event. It was also a Wednesday so her friends will be over for tea and gossip again. All of the girls had tea in what the people call as 'The Child's balcony' Zita scoffed at that and sat near the wisteria vines.  
"By the way is it true that you were doing your morning stroll with Vieri de Pazzi?" Beatrice asked "Yes why?" Zita said lifting the small cup to her lips. Diamante and Giada then exchanged looks and Gisella choked on her tea "What? What is it?" Zita asked them. Gisella cleared her throat and wiped her mouth with her handkerchief "Zita darling, Vieri is one of Firenze's most…how do you say it Unwanted bachelors" she said "Si you can see it by the size of his nostrils" Diamante told them.

Giada laughed at her sister "Good one!" Zita shook her head and put down her tea cup "Well it is true Zita, the Pazzi are the last family you would ever talk to" Beatrice told her. "Yes, he once killed a whole family just because Vieri lost in a race" Giada said quietly, "Just be careful who you go with next time okay?" Gisella patted Zita's lap and smiled.

High-class. Nobility. Rank. Those were the words that lower and middle class think of whenever they spot a noble walking down the street in rich clothes. Many have tried and gained social status through their friendship with nobles yet there were still some who force these people to stay in their own class. One of these was the Pazzi family.  
Fiore de Pazzi surveyed the scene outside their home no lowly peasant was walking along their street only a few middle-class and some nobles came by. It was a late Monday afternoon, just six more days before the annual corsa di cavallo, and her horse Elena was all pampered up.

Black-haired, hazel-eyed Fiore and her older brother Vieri were among the participants who were going to be present at the race this month. So far, Fiore was satisfied. Everything was shaping up for the day. This was the biggest event for her since this is her fifth race and she has never lost to anyone and if she did she would ask her beloved brother to do her bidding.  
Fiore was standing at the gates with Vieri waiting for any peasant to come by and be shouted at. But she caught sight of something, a group of noble women, which made her smirk.

"What do we have here?" she said subtly. She saw one of the nobles was a young girl, younger than her and the rest of the noblewomen in her group. She wore an elegant white dress, a black coat that had an ermine collar, white shoes and gloves. Diamond earrings dangled above her shoulders and a diamond necklace glistened under the sun. Fiore glared at her, this was the second time she saw a woman wear such beauty, the first being Cristina Vespucci.

Beatrice saw her and gently whispered "Don't look now but there's Fiore de Pazzi" Zita however looked up and saw the girl by the gates with Vieri. "What is she wearing?" she whispered to her friend "Only clothes of her design" Gisella replied in a hushed tone. They walked by the Palazzo Pazzi and Zita tilted her head slightly in a mock bow at the Pazzi siblings. Fiore forced a smile at them and watched as they turned to the left corner "Who does she think she is?" she said "Fiore my sister, don't let the little foreigner get into your nerves" Vieri told her "What? Are you infatuated with her?" Fiore questioned her brother "No, never I would never do that. Instead why don't you be nice to her?" Vieri could have sworn he heard his sister grinding her teeth together. She only does that when she's livid, it can't be helped she was a spoiled brat from the start and sometimes Vieri just wanted to strangle her.

"Why do you even want me to be nice to her?" Fiore inquired him whilst walking up the marble staircase of their home "Remember the crate full of diamonds you saw yesterday?" Vieri said running his hand up the railing. "The ones I stole a handful from?" Fiore replied "Si. That one. Those were hers" "Impossibile. There's no way a girl like that could ever have such many diamonds! What does she even do with them anyways?" Fiore fumed as she went up the staircase. "I hear she donates them to the poor, some to the artists of Firenze and some well to the Medici bank in thanks for attending her engagement party and wedding-" "Wedding? She's married?" Fiore turned to face her brother.

Vieri shook his head slowly "You didn't know did you?" he said "Know of what? Stop hiding secrets from me!" his sister exclaimed "She is married to Ezio Auditore. They've been married for a month now."

Zita blinked when she saw a crack on her favorite tea cup "How did this happen?" she said lifting the cup to her eye level. Ezio saw and told her he would buy her a new one. "This was my favorite though" she told Ezio and put the cup in Lotte's hands. Amalia came rushing in and bowed at her master and mistress, "Lucio has returned with Edel" Zita got up from her chair excitedly running to the back of the palazzo to see her black Arabian horse.  
"Edel!" Zita ran up to meet her stallion and touch the horse's long mane, "I miss you so. Did you bring all of his things?" she asked Lucio "Si madonna" he replied. "Grazie Lucio" she smiled and ran her hand up and down Edel's face.

"He looks strong" Ezio complimented "Thank you, Sir Eduard gave him to me as a gift for our first day of hunting. I never rode another horse since then" Zita said smiling "I wish to try him out again" she went to her room to change into her hunting attire since it was the only one that allowed her to wear pants. Once she had everything on, she buttoned on her red coat and slipped into her gloves. She checked the saddle, the reins and lastly her horse. "Ready for your exercise?" she said, her horse whinnied and stomped his hoof on the ground "I'll take that as a yes" she got on the saddle quickly like she always did. "Alright Zita we just need to lead you to the city gates and-" before Ezio could finish Edel galloped past him quicker than he had expected. "Wait! Zita!" he called out to his wife but found it too late to reach for her, Ezio grunted and got on his own white steed to chase after his wife.

Zita laughed at herself as her horse went through every alley without any hassle, so many years riding through trees paid off. Some people stepped aside quickly for her while some stumbled to the ground. "Oh mi dispiace!" she shouted, her hands tightened their grip on the reins. "Halt!" one guard shouted however Edel ran past him like he did with Ezio.  
Ezio glanced over his shoulder seeing the mess his wife made in just a matter of minutes, he groaned and taunted his horse to go faster and once he did he outran the guards.

He saw her galloping down the dusty road her body bent down to add on to the speed. Ezio followed the movement and found it useful, "Zita! Stop!" he shouted. Zita looked back with the biggest grin he had ever seen "Hey Ezio care to race for a minute?" she said "And a minute is what I need right now! Stop your horse!" Ezio shouted "Che cosa?" Zita replied then face forward again. There was a cart by the road owned by a lone farmer who was resting in the fields, Zita smirked and Ezio got her idea "Zita don't!"

The young girl snapped the reins and her horse leaped over the cart easily, Ezio pulled the reins to stop his own horse in time and it took a sharp turn to the right to avoid colliding with the cart. The chase continued on until they reached a field of red and yellow flowers. Zita got down to rest on the grass and catch her breath. Ezio did the same only he sat down beside her; their horses began grazing on the grass there and move their tails often. "Are you happy now that you caused a mess back in Firenze?" Ezio said, his young wife sat up "But you have to admit it was amazing" she told him. Ezio shouted and lied down on the grass overly exhausted from all the chase.

Zita looked down at him and then leaned down to place a kiss on his lips, Ezio kissed back and soon he was now on top of her. She inhaled his breath, felt his tongue in her mouth, rolling on top of hers almost as if he wanted to devour her. It felt as if she could kiss him forever.  
And then it stopped. Zita opened her eyes and stared into Ezio's own, she touched his face softly and wanted to beg for more.  
"Hey!" a shout rang out in the field, it seems that they've stumbled into a man's farm. The couple quickly got on their horses and returned to Firenze with wide grins on their faces.  
Maybe they'll explain everything to Giovanni later at dinner.


	6. Life

College will never be nice to me! :(

Hey guys, another update and it's just an eleven paged chapter. Today was my first day at college too, had fun met some old faces and met new ones.

Ugh! I wish there was an Italian guy! DX

Anyways...OH MY FU(NNY) GOD! I MADE A LOVE SCENE! I think...

* * *

November days were often chilly and people began wearing extra clothes to keep themselves warm for the whole day. Merchants and markets alike thought of the products that could be sold for the upcoming holidays and bakers were pleased to make the holiday breads for sale.  
Kuchen, Zita's lovable bloodhound, chased after a stray cat that crossed his path earlier that day. His master was just meters away walking as usual behind him. Today Zita wore a fabulous bright pink gown and matching shoes. She wore pink gloves and carried a small bible in her hands since she recently went to church. Rose quartz earrings dangled from her ears and a pink topaz necklace adorned her neck.  
Noble people that saw her bow their heads quickly and walk away making her a silent object of discrimination.

She was Italian but she never did tell anyone yet, they think she is Austrian but she is not. Other people think that she educated herself with the Italian language but she did not. Zita was a pureblooded Italian, thought to be the illegitimate child of the Duke of Milan or so they say and she is the young wife of Ezio Auditore, Firenze's number one heartbreaker.  
Despite being of nobility, Zita was often ridiculed by other noblemen and women saying that she is not right to marry an Italian and sometimes wished she went back to Austria. However middle-class and lower-class people thought of her as a generous person.

Her recent donations to schools and orphanages have brought smiles to the children and the people that run them. Artists were able to have what they need and they were presented to wealthy families that appreciate their art. Lastly, Lorenzo de Medici was thankful for the diamonds that he had given Ezio and Zita his blessing.  
It was a typical Sunday morning and on every Sunday morning Zita goes to the market to buy vegetables and fruits for her family.  
She greeted two middle class women who she recognized over the past few days.  
"Ah Signorina Zita! Have you come to look at my _verdure?_ (vegetables?)" The plump woman Zita knew as Mamma Carlotta asked her. She looked over at a few vegetables grown within the Tuscan region and she picked a large carrot and one cabbage head. "How much are these?" Zita asked her kindly "Forty five florins Signorina" Mamma Carlotta responded.

Zita place the vegetables into the basket and gave the woman the exact amount then thanked her for her products. She spotted Kuchen still running after the cat but then the tables were turned and the cat scratched Kuchen's nose. The dog yelped and ran back to his master's side.  
Although that was not the one that caught Zita's attention, Fiore de Pazzi walked down the market street wearing a dress in contrast to Zita's pink gown. "_Buon giorno Austriaco_" Fiore told her. Zita smiled then nodded her head in greeting she went on walking without bothering to look back at the Pazzi girl.

Fiore fumed as she walked back into the palazzo knocking a tray of wine glasses into the floor. They broke into pieces and the maids hurried to clean it up. "That's it I've had enough of her and her arrogant attitude!" Fiore exclaimed, her voice echoing throughout the hallways of the building. "And what has gotten you in such mood?" Vieri emerged from his bedroom with a glass of wine in hand. Fiore turned to face her brother and scowl at him. "This is your fault! You told me to be nice to that bitch but look where it got me! She acted as if she was a queen strutting around in her new gowns and jewelries!" she shouted and crossed her arms tight.  
Vieri chuckled, "It doesn't matter how many jewelries or whatever fabulous dress you wear. Zita cares only for the middle class and the poor people of Firenze. All the nobles except for a few have chosen to go against her because first off she is a foreigner and second she often sells hose precious diamonds off and gives them to who 'really needs it' she says. It's pathetic" Vieri said and placed his glass on a convenient table.  
Fiore scoffed at him "Because she already is pathetic. Little nuisance and why did Ezio even marry her in the first place?" "I heard it was an arranged marriage of some sort but I really don't know much about it yet."  
The brother and sister gazed out the terrace and gradually thought of a plan that would be the literal downfall of the little Austrian bitch.

Zita returned to the palazzo and was greeted by Petruccio. The boy had a liking to her and her stories. Macaron, Zita's silent but deadly bloodhound, greeted her with nudge to the leg only then did she feel like she was truly home.  
Maria was thinking of having a hot meal for lunch, she told her son Federico to fetch more firewood for the fireplace in the family room and in the dining room as well. The eldest of the Auditore sibling got up from the couch and went to the kitchen to get more wood. Zita placed her bible in a wooden chest and her gloves into its own special case. "By the way where is Ezio?" she asked the people present, "He went with Signore Giovanni to the bank so that he could be able to learn the ropes of the family business" Annetta, a loyal housemaid of the Auditore told her.

"Grazie Annetta" Zita took off her coat and placed it in Lotte's care. They had a quiet lunch together talking every once in a while about the thought of snow or Christmas. Lucio, another one of Zita's servants, approached their table with a dark green envelope in his hands. She knew at once that it belonged to her mother Ambra who lives far away in Vienna.  
She excused herself and went off to read the letter in her own private room. She often uses it for tea parties or when she needed to be with herself. She opened the letter and found terrible news.

_"My dearest daughter Zita,_

_I am happy to tell you of the good reports that occurred with your brothers in Milan._  
_ Your sister-in-law, Elisabetta is pregnant and Gustavo is expected to be a father in August._  
_ I am also telling you how all of your siblings are happy with their marriages. Fortunata is happy being herself despite her ailments but you Zita are still young and can still manage to produce a child for your husband._

_You must know that it is within you that your husband's family lineage must continue. The future of their family rests in your hands._

_Your mother,_  
_ Ambra Schulz"_

Zita leaned against the forest green walls blinking back her tears. She slowly sat down on the hardwood floor and tore the letter into shreds. She didn't come out of her room after.  
Ezio returned to the palazzo and went straight to the dining room to greet his family and wife however he noticed that Zita's seat was unoccupied and there was half-eaten food left on her plate. "Where is she?" Ezio asked them "She went to her room Signore, she has recently received a letter from her mother. She hasn't left the room for an hour now" Lotte told him. Ezio thanked her and hurried upstairs to the private room, he knocked on the door but all he could hear were whimpers and sobbing.

"Zita…are you alright in there?" he asked but no reply came "Zita it's me please let me in" Ezio said. He heard the door click and opened to reveal his young wife. Her eyes became red from all the crying and her chest heaved up and down from the gasping. "Zita what happened to you?" her husband asked her wrapping his arms around her for support.  
Zita sobbed and leaned into his chest "Mother thinks I am unhappy with my marriage. She thinks I have lost all my charms and beauty and I fail to bear a child for you" she said. Ezio could only hold her close until she fell asleep while crying.

Another cold and dull morning was upon Firenze. To the commoners' surprise Zita was walking by herself. No maid behind her and no dog following her. She wore a white gown that was tight around the arms showing her small frame to everyone. The nobles thought she was parading her depression but that was not the case. Her long walks were the only solution to cure her of her misery and anxiety so that she may think of other thoughts while she was walking.  
When she grew tired she would lean against any structure then continue her stroll again. Her eyes had become swollen from all of the crying and breathing came in strenuous gasps. She was all by herself again. All alone in her own little world. She stood by the ledge on Ponte Vecchio gazing out at the sunset and she stayed there until the stars came out in the sky.  
She returned to the palazzo and took a warm bath to soothe her aching feet. Zita stared down at the water and at her hands. Was there something in her that Ezio didn't like? Probably.  
After that she dried off and put on her thin nightgown. Her husband didn't come home yet so she slipped into the bed and tried to sleep.

Ezio came an hour after Zita returned; he discarded his clothing to the floor and climbed on the bed checking if his wife was still awake. She groaned her response and that's when Ezio did his job as a husband and a lover.  
He ran his hands down her side and stopped at her hips. Zita looked back at him wondering about his sudden actions. Ezio leaned down to kiss her passionately like they did in the fields days ago. His expert hands started to unbutton her nightgown and expose her bosom. Zita immediately flushed deeply, was he going to do it now?  
She tried to show her displeasure but Ezio had already trailed kisses from her neck down to her bare chest. She let out a moan and wriggled beneath him.  
"Ezio…" Zita grasped the sheets tightly as he got lower until he kissed her on the abdomen. Ezio smirked a bit and slipped the nightgown off her. She felt so embarrassed and went to cover herself but her husband had already pinned her down on the bed.  
He guided her hands to the rim of his pants and Zita knew what he was thinking. She gulped hard as she pulled down his pants to expose all of him. Ezio kicked off his pants and threw them across the room. He bent down to plant a chaste kiss on his wife's smooth forehead and gazed into her bright amber eyes. Zita bit her lip and closed her eyes as he made love to her all night.

When she awoke she found that she was naked and alone in bed. The sun was shining outside the windows and the events of last night came back to her. Zita blushed crimson and pulled the sheets above her chest. She leaned against the headboard sighing then a smile appeared on her face. She placed a hand to her chest and swore she could feel her heart beating madly for him. He had made her the happiest woman ever.

The corsa di cavallo was just a day away and all the competitors had already signed in.  
Zita signed in her name on the line and returned the quill to the person in charge. Today she wore a rosy red gown with a cape like design. A ruby bracelet was her main accessory and a new pair of shoes. The gown had matched evenly with her hair, rosy red. Fiore had recently signed her name too and she carefully watched Zita walk by her.  
She shopped for more shoes and dresses that day as well. Now that she felt pretty she thought of buying things that will make her prettier. Vanity it was and it was sometimes a horrible crime.  
Zita had bought over fourteen gowns and four more pairs of shoes.

Necklaces of different designs had filled her jewelry case and she had to buy another. She didn't know she was burning money fast.  
That evening she and Ezio were invited to a dinner party at Gisella's palazzo in celebration for the feast day tomorrow. Every person of nobility was there and Zita wasn't one to lose much. She wore a silk cream white gown with gold trimmings and black ribbons. Her hair was brushed up to an updo with a stunning diamond hairpiece to hold it in place. She had also thought of buying her husband a vest almost similar to her gown's fabric which she did and he was absolutely eye-catching. Ezio didn't mind, as long as his wife was always happy.

"And then he takes it out of his pants just like that right in front of me in that dark alley" Giada told them "So I asked him 'What is that? Is that a finger or something?' and then he just puts it back in. He was probably embarrassed" she said smugly. The people in their table laughed, "Probably?" Gisella said raising an elegant eyebrow at her friend. Zita leaned into her husband and whispered sweet things to him. Ezio chuckled a bit when his wife's breath tickled his skin. They drank from one glass and they were proud to show it off. "Alright the two of you get a room" Gisella said raising her hands in defeat. Zita laughed with the others at Gisella's now drunken stupor. "Well it certainly can't be helped" she said.

The party continued on to the courtyard where Gisella and the rest of Zita's friends were sitting beneath the trees. She and Ezio sat under one tree together admiring each other and whispered quietly. Ezio was making jokes about the guards surrounding the palazzo, his wife giggled sweetly and she reached to touch his face.  
But then they heard a noise and a body fell in front of them. Zita screamed at the sight and cowered into her husband's arms.

An archer was shot dead into the chest and he lay in the pool of his own blood. Another arrow shot out and it narrowly missed Zita by inches. "Quick get inside!" one of her friends shouted and they rushed back to the palazzo. Zita didn't even notice the blood that had splattered on her face when the body fell near them.  
"Zita" Ezio took out is handkerchief to wipe the blood away but when Zita saw it she instantly passed out.

"Did you hear? Someone is attempting to take the Austrian's life" "She probably has so many debts from the dressmakers and tailors around Firenze" "I hear she passed out when she saw blood, such a fragile thing she is"

Rumors, false and true, passed down to every mouth and ear in the city but that didn't stop the feast day or the race.  
Zita was a little shaken from last night but she kept her poise. The women's division started in the morning and she had no time to lose. She was in her hunting attire, a favorite of her mother's complete with leather boots and gloves. Edel whinnied aloud and shook his head as the reins were placed. Zita secured the saddle on her horse and swatted off any unwanted flies. She brought her horse outside for the judges and everyone else to see.

"An Arabian horse I see" Zita turned her head seeing Vieri de Pazzi with his sister Fiore. "I'm glad to see you well and alive Signorina" Fiore told her. Zita looked at one sibling to the next and wondered if it was them that plotted her death. "I'm glad you are. If I may, I have to meet up with my husband before the race starts" Zita told them and led her horse towards Angelo, Ezio's own white steed. "Get to know him for a while" she patted his large neck and walked towards her husband. Ezio looked down at her still worried about last night. Zita assured him everything was okay by holding his hands firmly and kissed him softly on the side of his lips.

She left him to get on her horse and went off to the starting line where she greeted each competitor then lastly Fiore.  
"May the best woman win" "I always do"

The instructions: Race towards the red flag at the end of the road, return and first one to reach the finish line is the winner.  
"Riding is one of the causes of miscarriages" her mother had warned her but she paid no mind. She was going to win this for everyone and Petruccio. The moment the announcer raised the flag everyone was off. The crowd watched in awe at the horses galloping into the hills and gradually became tiny dots till they were gone.

Zita didn't need to snap her reins to tell Edel to go fast, he knew by instinct when to go fast or when to slow down. She passed by several of the competitors as time passed and almost reached Fiore. The Pazzi girl before her growled and snapped her reins. 'Her horse is definitely fast' Zita thought and she bend her body forward to increase speed. Snapping the reins on Edel would mean ultimate danger.  
She did it once before and the horse rebelled against her, tried to shake her off and when he did it resulted into a fractured arm. But those were years ago when Zita was young and immature, she had snapped the reins because she wanted to impress Eduard and the rest of the noblemen present.

"_Schnellerer Edel!_ (Faster Edel!)" Zita shouted and her horse started to gain speed and catch up with Fiore. The two girls saw the flag and prepared to take the sharp turn. Fiore had to pull the reins just so her horse could move according to her commands but Zita had latched herself to her horse giving him more command with the race. The horses turned exactly at the same time and both were heading directly to the rest of the opponents.

"Move!" Fiore shouted at them and some quickly jumped to the side for her. Zita held on to Edel dodging three horses and their masters. "Come on Edel!" Zita cheered on for her horse and held the reins tighter.  
The crowd began to see two dots appearing from afar and they both recognize the black steed with the rider wearing red. All stretched their necks to see who was going to win the race.  
Fiore grunted then slowed down all of a sudden. Zita ran past her confused. The Pazzi gave a brief nod and an arrow had pierced Zita right through the right shoulder.

Everyone gasped as they saw the rider fall of her horse and landed on the ground. It was Ezio who got there first, he carefully picked up Zita and held her in his arms. "Ezio?" she said weakly "Don't talk now we have to get you to the doctor" he told her. Ezio warily carried his wife in his arms and rushed back to the city to find the nearest doctor.  
Ezio spotted one and urged him to help his wife. The doctor guided him to his clinic to perform the surgery, the place smelled of herbs and different toxins but Ezio didn't mind. "Place her here" Ezio laid Zita on the wooden table that was caked with blood from the previous surgeries. "Ezio…" Zita called out to him in a faint voice and straight away he stayed by her side holding her hand. "Did I win?" she asked him "This isn't the time for that" Ezio replied.

Zita looked down and saw the sixteen-inch arrow sticking out of her chest, she shrieked at the sight and tears violently flowed down her face. "What is that? Get it out of me!" she screamed. "Calm her down or else she'll lose blood quicker" the doctor said and began to tear off Zita's coat and shirt. She begged to Ezio to stop all of this and cried more.  
The doctor handed Ezio a cup of some liquid, "Let her drink it, it'll calm her right down" he said. "Come on Zita you have to drink this and you won't feel anything" the girl continued to cry even if she drank the medicine given to her. At last her gasping slowed down for a bit yet she still grasped Ezio's hand.

"Alright, I'm going to pull it out of her on the count of three…uno…due…tre!" The arrow was at last pulled out and it caused Zita to scream and the blood to seep out.  
Ezio comforted her in the best ways he can. Finally the doctor cleaned the wound and stitched it up neat and clean. He wrapped a bandage around Zita's chest, he advised her to rest to let the wound heal and that she wouldn't do anything rash that could reopen the wound.

"_Grazie molto_ (Thank you very much)" Ezio said "Whatever. Now get out of here" the doctor replied.  
Ezio vigilantly lifted Zita off the table and brought her back outside where everyone was waiting. "She's okay, she's alive" a few had sighed in relief while others began to speak ill of her again.  
A farmer had told Ezio to use his cart as a means of transportation back to the palazzo; children placed some hay on the cart plus some flowers so that it will be comfy enough for her.  
Ezio placed his wife on the makeshift mattress and saw she was fast asleep. The farmer's horse pulled the cart throughout the streets of Firenze and brought the young girl back home.  
Whoever did this, they were going to pay Ezio thought.

Zita lay sleeping in their bed changed into a new nightgown. She had been asleep for a few days now and her fair skin had become pale. She was like a poor maiden waiting for the day her savior to come and aid her at last.

Ezio paced back and forth in his father's office. He glanced over at the hallway where their bedroom door was ajar and he caught a glimpse of his wife before Lotte closed the door on him. "Ezio" Giovanni started "you shouldn't be worried anymore. The archer was caught" he said. "Yes the archer may be caught but the one who ordered him is not!" Ezio exclaimed. "Ezio calm down. We still have yet to investigate and we will wait for Lucio to come back."

On cue, the trembling servant rushed inside and bowed in front of Giovanni. "The archer has spoken. It was Fiore and Vieri de Pazzi who ordered him in exchange for his sick son to be given medicine" he reported.  
Ezio gazed up at his father and stormed out of the office "Ezio!" Federico called out to his brother. "You mustn't do this alone. Let me come with you" he said. Ezio smiled at his brother and patted his shoulder "Thank you Federico but Zita is my wife and it is my responsibility to keep her safe from harm. Just stay by her side until she wakes up" and with that Ezio walked out of the palazzo to avenge his wife.

"_Maledicalo tutto!_ (Damn it all!) How could we have let this happen? That bastardo has confessed everything to those fiends!" Fiore exclaimed throwing a cup of wine at the floor, staining the white marble with deep red. "Relax Fiore. If ever Ezio comes, I have an army to fight him off" Vieri said.  
The siblings heard glass breaking and a servant rushed in to say that Ezio Auditore had arrived. "Does he have his men with him?" Vieri questioned the lowly servant "No sir he's all alone" he replied. The man grinned "This should be fun" he went off to the lobby of the palazzo with Fiore trailing after him.  
"Vieri! Come out of there you _pezzo de merda!_" Ezio shouted outside and he saw the Pazzi step out of his humble abode. "Why Ezio how nice of you to see me" he said. "How dare you hurt Zita you _bastardo!_" the Auditore charged up at him however he was smacked in the head with a piece of wood. Ezio fell on the ground with a thud. Vieri's men surrounded him with grinning faces. Vieri smirked and signaled them to do it.

They began kicking and pounding Ezio to no end. Fiore watched the whole scene at the door and saw blood streaming down Ezio's face. She couldn't bare it. Even though she had a grudge against the couple, she still loved Ezio.  
"Stop it! Stop! _Abbastanza! _(Enough!)" Fiore shouted and ran towards the gang and pushed them off him. Ezio laid there on the ground bleeding and covered with multitudes of bruises. "Please this is enough" she said choking on tears and looked up at her brother.  
Vieri scowled, the fun was over now that his sister interrupted him. "Fine, send this _pezzo de merda_ back to his beloved wife. She will surely miss him if he dies too soon." Two men harshly picked up Ezio from the ground and dragged him in the streets with his blood trailing behind him.

Federico sighed and walked into Zita and Ezio's bedroom surprised to see Petruccio sitting beside the sleeping girl. "Hey Petruccio" Federico said taking a seat next to his little brother. "It's all my fault…" Petruccio said quietly "I mean if I hadn't forced Zita to join the race she would still be alive." Federico placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault Petruccio; Zita did it for you because she loves you dearly as she does with everyone in the family."

The boy continued to sob quietly and touched Zita's pale hand. "I'm so sorry Zita…" Unexpectedly he felt the hand he held twitch and soon the young girl's eyes languidly opened to reveal the bright amber color again. She glanced over at Petruccio and touched his face with the back of her hand "It's not your fault Petruccio…" she said. Her voice was husky that she coughed a bit.  
"Zita! You're alive!" Petruccio wrapped his arms around the girl's neck. She groaned in pain at the sudden weight on her shoulder "Oh forgive me" the boy said quickly. Zita smiled and patted his hand. "I'll go call your maids, they were worried sick for a few days" Federico told her but then they heard noise outside.

"Hey _puttana Austriaca!_ (Austrian whore!) We have something for you!"  
Zita got out of bed quickly despite Federico's warning and glanced outside the window. She could see two men holding something between them. Zita gasped when she recognize the figure. Federico cursed under is breath and rushed downstairs to fetch his brother. He burst out the door and caught his brother when they threw him.

"Ezio! Ezio!" Federico shook his brother lightly and heard him groan. "Ezio!" Zita ran out of the palazzo and cradled her husband's head in her arms "_Ezio! Che cosa ha fatto a voi amore mio?_ (What did they do to you my love?)" she sobbed as she held him close to her.  
"And we have a message for you. Never doubt the Pazzi ever!" the man exclaimed and soon left.  
"Come back here you _bastardo!_" Federico shouted but he was stopped by a hand to his shoulder. He glanced back to see his father shaking his head "Just go help your brother. We mustn't go far with this my son" Giovanni told him.

Federico sighed and finally nodded. He pickup Ezio from the ground and brought him to the family room to get him cleaned. Zita bowed her head deeply and turned to face her father-in-law. "Forgive me. It's because I got myself injured that Ezio had been beaten up by Vieri's thugs" she said to Giovanni. He only placed a hand on her shoulder and showed a fatherly smile. "It is no one's fault Zita. Things will always happen for a reason. Now go, a wife's place is always by her husband's side." Zita smiled a little and went inside the palazzo to help her husband.

It was another day in Firenze days after the corsa di cavallo, people turned their heads at the Auditore couple. Ezio had a cane to help him while his left leg was healing, his head was partially bandaged and he had a visible black-eye. By his side was his wife who had her bandage visible through her yellow gown, she assisted her husband as they walked to Santa Croce for mass.  
They paused to see Fiore walking up to them with her own four maids behind her.

Zita frowned and held her husband close to her, "Zita…Ezio" Fiore bowed her head at them. However, Zita let her arms fall to the side and look at Fiore directly.  
"Ezio told me what you did…so I thank you for saving my husband" Zita removed her diamond bracelet and handed it over to her. "It's France's finest, pure diamonds and pure gold" she told her. Fiore smiled but then it gradually changed into a sly smirk. "Thanks but no thanks Zita, I'd rather earn my diamonds in another way" she said. Zita knew what that meant and put on her bracelet again "I see…well we have to head down to mass to pray for our speedy recovery. Enjoy the rest of November and December" Zita said and guided her husband to the stairs of the church.

"Oh and Zita…It's best if you hide your 'other' wounds as well" Fiore told her and gestured to her neck. Zita blushed crimson and placed a hand over the love bites she received days after Ezio's incident. She smacked her husband's arm and quietly blamed him.  
The two sat down on a bench at the back, Lotte handed the bible to her plus a ruby rosary. Zita stared at the altar and then moved to hold Ezio's hand which he held firmly. She smiled and prayed that they lived a happy life.

December finally arrived. The wind was so cold and the sky was gray. Muddy puddles dotted the streets and some people had trouble walking through the wet streets.  
Yet Christmas was almost near and everyone had to prepare for the birth of Gesú Cristo. Zita stared at the outside world behind her window. She had grown ill over the past few weeks and refused to eat from time to time.

A knock came and Amalia walked over to open it. Maria stepped inside the private room accompanied by a blond man. He wore an olive green top, dark brown pants and boots, a red cape and a red hat. He carried some things with him that Zita was oddly familiar with. She had taken art lessons before in Vienna but constant hunting trips with Berend made her stop taking them. Maria greeted her and she greeted back.  
"Zita this is Messer Leonardo Da Vinci. He will paint you your portrait" Maria told her. "Whatever is your reason for such offer?" Zita asked her, a little pale from her sickness.

"Well you've been spending too much time on Ezio I can't find the proper day for you to have a portrait and besides you are one of us now." Zita smiled at her mother-in-law and agreed for her portrait to be painted.  
She wore a navy blue gown, the gown that she wore on her very first day in Firenze. "Hmm now in what area of the room to put you in?" Leonardo thought hard and then perked up "Aha! I've got it!" he guided her to the end of the bedroom and placed her next to the vase that held a bouquet of red, pink and white roses.

Zita smiled and posed for her portrait, Leonardo quickly went to work on his new art. It took several hours for it to be done and when the base of the painting was done, Zita had asked for a break. Maria allowed her since she was ill.  
Her maids provided her a chair to sit on and fanned her. "You are doing very well Signorina, I'll begin with the portrait as soon as you're done" Leonardo told her "Grazie Messer, by the way where did you learn how to paint?" Zita asked him.

"I was self-taught but I've been an apprentice to Signore Verrocchio who took me under his wing until I learned." Zita nodded at him and then proceeded to finish the portrait. But because she was sick, her legs felt weak and had to sit down throughout the whole painting. "Forgive me Messer, it seems that my illness has taken over me" she said with smile "It's alright Signorina" Leonardo assured her.  
Zita continued to pose for him until the sun began to set in the background. Leonardo told Maria that he will give the painting after two days "Thank you Leonardo" she thanked him and bid him goodbye for the night.

"Madonna are you feeling any better?" Lotte asked her as she fixed the sheets over her young mistress. Zita nodded with a smile on her face "I'm alright Lotte, just give me some warm tea and maybe a few biscuits thank you." The maid curtsied and went out to fetch the required things. Zita sighed and felt something build up in her throat, she quickly got out of bed and hurried to the bathroom to throw up in a wooden bucket.

She coughed out the rest of the vomit and stood up to wash her face. Then she realized something as she hovered her hand over to her stomach, she felt as if there was something. Something inside of her.  
Ezio sighed as he walked along the streets of Firenze, his leg had healed over the weeks and there were a few tiny scars on his face where the wounds used to be. He entered his home and was greeted by his wife. Zita looked very excited at the moment.  
"What? What is it?" he asked. "I have something to tell you before we head to dinner, come on!" Zita grabbed his hand and led him to their bedroom.

Petruccio poked his food with his fork sighing. "What's wrong?" Claudia asked him "Zita and Ezio haven't arrived yet" he replied. Federico on the other hand was enjoying his dinner since on Christmas Eve there was no meat to be served so he had to enjoy while it's available.  
"Maybe those two are rocking the bed before dinner" he said and earned a smack from his mother. They heard loud footsteps and the couple entered the dining hall.  
"We have something to tell you" Zita said biting her lip. She looked up at Ezio then back at the table. She slowly turned so that they were facing her side. "Notice anything different?" she asked them. Federico shook his head "Not really" he said.

That's when Maria suddenly stood up and kissed her daughter-in-law's cheeks "I'm so happy for both of you!" she said. "What? What is it?" Claudia asked impatiently. "I'm pregnant!" Zita exclaimed and Federico had rose from his chair.  
"I'm going to have a _nipote?_ (niece/nephew?)" He said "Si!" Zita replied. The eldest Auditore hugged his sister-in-law and congratulated his young brother. "Where is father?" Ezio asked his mother "He's in his office, go tell him" Maria answered.  
Soon, everyone in the palazzo heard of the news and congratulated the young couple and wished for a peaceful life between the two not knowing what truly lies ahead of them.


	7. Beginnings

Hey here's a little info just in case you guys get confused with this chapter

**Full name: **Maria Zita Angioletta D'Angelo (Sforza)

**Date of Birth:** February 14, 1462

**Trivia:** Zita had a hard time speaking Italian because when she was young she was taught German before she could speak her native Italian language.  
At age twelve, Zita had a passion for hunting. Her most favorite companions were her two bloodhounds Kuchen and Macaron and her two childhood friends Eduard and Berend.  
Before Zita was taught the art of dancing by the middle-class people of Vienna.  
When Zita was only seven-years-old she could play the lute, however years of being apart from her music made her forget how to play.

Zita inherited her rosy red hair from her maternal grandmother Fortunata Alessia Fiorenza and her amber eyes from her mother Ambra.

Zita has over two hundred gowns made, thirty pairs of shoes and twenty sets of jewelry (including the gowns from Milan and Chianciano Terme)  
She usually sells most of the gowns to the middle-class in a cheaper price.

* * *

Chianciano Terme. The town was located miles away from the city of Firenze and it had the best view of the hills and the grassy fields.  
Zita saw the town through her carriage window, travelling on such a fragile state of pregnancy was against a few people but the young girl insisted that she stayed in the villa so that she would have the fresh view of the trees and the flowers. She had chosen it as a retreat from all the luxuries and she wanted to enjoy nature even more.

The carriage arrived in the town and stopped at the foot of the stairs that led to the villa. The villa was made of yellow-ochre sandstone and limestone. A statue of Venus was placed in the middle of the second landing of the stairs while pretty cypress trees lined the front of the building.  
Zita got off the carriage marveling the beauty of the structure, a woman of fifty approached her. She wore an elaborate green gown and a snood that matched it. "Buon giorno Signorina Zita, my name is Agnese and I am the villa's custodian" she said.  
Zita smiled and embraced the woman, surprising her a lot. "Thank you very much for taking care of my family's villa for me" Zita said and let go. Agnese gave her a tour of the villa and showed her the different rooms. In her vast bedroom there was a large canopy bed that could house four people, she walked over to the jewelry closet and saw there was a secret dressing room. Zita was tempted however she kept it in herself.

For the trip she wore her cream white and yellow gown, her hair was down with a white ribbon made as a headband and she wore a citrine choker and her wedding ring.  
Beautiful flowers adorned her room as her welcoming gift, she paid no mind to them. Instead she walked to her window to see the Angelo Garden.  
There was no footpath, just pure green grass that reached until your waist.

Wild flowers and other flora grew, a tiny peach orchard grew there and she could see a small pond from afar that had a boat.  
Zita smiled and told Lotte to call a local dressmaker for her. Her maid nodded and went out to fetch the town's dressmaker. While she was alone Zita opened her jewelry case to take out her diamond earrings that can cost up to seventy-five thousand florins in the market. She sighed and closed her case.

This was her retreat. She wanted to be away from the city until she felt better. Her doctor had recommended that she went somewhere where the air was fresh and that there was no disturbance whatsoever.  
Zita took off her gloves and placed them in their proper places in the closet. She removed the diamond hairpins and returned them to their jewelry box as well as her brooch and the diamond ring on her right hand. She kept her wedding ring on and her thoughts trailed to her husband back in Firenze.

Lotte returned with the dressmaker, it was a woman who looked somewhere between twenty or twenty-five. Textiles of different fabrics and designs were laid out for her to choose. Zita smiled and walked up to the lady. "I would like something simple…just to wear in the garden" she told her. The woman nodded and began to take Zita's measurement "Oh and please make it a little loose, I'm pregnant." After getting her size, the woman went to work on the dresses Zita wanted.

"I want to have lunch outside what do you think?" Zita asked her maids after they had fixed everything for her. "That would be splendid, what do you have in mind for lunch?" Amalia asked her mistress. "Just simple fruits and maybe Austrian cuisine again…I missed it a lot" Zita said, she wore her simple dress that was dyed in light blue it was what a few maids in the city wore however to Zita, it was worth everything.  
The servants had prepared some kind of tent for Zita to stay under. Instead of a chair, a white couch was put outside by her request.  
Zita went out to the patio and inhaled the garden air. She ate peacefully and reclined on the couch, a servant boy played the lute beautifully beside her while one gave her a pinkish-white rose to keep the atmosphere at bay.  
Zita blinked and watched the trees sway with the wind.

Ezio blinked when he saw the trees swaying to the cool wind of December. He sat quietly on a bench in Santa Croce, it was his new favorite place to be ever since his wife went to her family villa to relax and enjoy nature.  
She also told him it was going to be a vacation where she is free from all the luxuries, expensive gowns and jewelries. Rumors of her began to die down and Firenze was itself again.  
But to Ezio it wasn't Firenze at all without Zita.

She was already two weeks pregnant when she left. He sighed and fiddled with the cuffs of his shirt.  
"Giovanni I see your son is getting depressed everyday, what happened?" Uberto Alberti asked the Assassin before him. "Oh his wife went to Chianciano Terme on doctor's orders" Giovanni replied. He fixed his coat and tucked his Assassin's robes into a bag. "Oh? Did something happen to her?" "Not really. She just needed fresh country air so that she and the baby would stay healthy." Uberto paused and looked back at Giovanni. "Did you say baby?" he said.  
"Oh I forgot to tell you the news, Zita is pregnant though not in a healthy state but we will wait for the news. Some doctors propose it was a boy because males can tire a mother out" Giovanni chuckled and bid goodbye to his friend.

He had returned to his home using the front door this time. He was greeted by his wife who was admiring another painting made by Leonardo Da Vinci. The man was an absolute genius and a favorite of Lorenzo de Medici.  
The painting was of Zita sitting on a chair and smiling innocently with flowers in her skirt. Leonardo had captured the very essence of her being and all of her innocence as a mother. "I'm sure Ezio would appreciate this" Maria said.

The portrait was hung in the hallway next to other family paintings. Giovanni smiled and took a break for today.  
Ezio returned from a long walk and found himself standing on the Ponte Vecchio leaning on the ledge. "Hey! How is my baby brother coping up?" Federico appeared wearing that smug look as always. "Not much. Is this how Zita feels whenever she walks? My feet are aching!" Ezio said. His feet were indeed aching and burning from all the walking he did around Firenze trying to at least follow his wife's steps. Federico laughed at his brother's demeanor and patted him on the back roughly. "Well since your wife is on vacation why don't you do the same?" he said.

Ezio narrowed his eyes at his older brother "Are you trying to make me cheat on my own wife? Just where do you get those ideas? From the old ladies that spread gossip?" he said slightly outraged. "Hey, just calm down Ezio. I was just joking" Federico said raising both hands in defeat. His young brother sighed and continued to stare out at the setting sun "She's all alone out there…"

Zita sighed deeply when she leaned on the window sill of her bedroom. She watched the sun set beyond those hills and was called to have dinner. The meal was some sort of peasant dish called Ribollita that she found very tasty. What she drank was freshly squeezed orange juice and for dessert she had fresh fruits like apples and grapes.  
After dinner she changed into her nightgown and climbed on the bed. She lied down against the fluffy pillows and smiled at her maids before the thick curtain was closed around her bed.  
Zita slowly turned to her side and looked at the empty space beside her. She sighed deeply and slept wishing that her husband was with her.

The sun rose in the horizon, birds woke up chirping and flew off to the orange-blue sunrise. Tiny baby's breath danced playfully in the wind and baby lambs bleated as they grazed on the grass of a farm. The market of Chianciano Terme was small but they had the best products unknown to Firenze, only a few had struggled to make a trade with the conscientious city.  
Farmers loaded up their hard work and traded it in the market for their florins. Builders continued their work of building a better town and workers for the stalls lifted heavy baskets to bring to the respected sellers.

A few men had spotted three beauties walking in the market with one carrying an empty basket. Zita wore a pink loose gown similar to the rest of her new dresses, her red hair was tied to a very loose ponytail and she had a simple gold necklace around her neck.  
She and her maids were laughing a bit talking about what the old women of Firenze were like. "Oh look at this! What can we make out of this?" Zita asked when she held up a cauliflower at them "Maybe some vegetable salad" Lotte said. Her mistress nodded and asked for two of the vegetable. "Oh! How about we make some of that potato salad mother requested on last year's Christmas?" Zita said.

They walked over to another vegetable store to check the potatoes that were being sold there, she picked at least three big ones for the potato salad and paid for them. Zita and her maids returned home to the villa to prepare the meals. The young mistress then went out to frolic in the garden like the child she was.  
She sat down on the ground with the grass tickling her nose and ears. Zita sighed and felt as if she were in paradise. She picked some flowers to feed the baby lambs that were let out.  
This was her personal sanctuary and this is where she is going to bear her child, in a beautiful environment such as this.

She was walking around the other section of the garden where trees were supposed to be planted. "I want to plant some linden trees along this path how long is that going to take?" she asked the man as she walked "It might take three years for them to grow madonna" the man replied. Zita smiled at him "It's okay as long as this place has more trees for its convenience" she said.  
Suddenly she saw Lotte running towards her with an anxious expression.

"Your sister…she killed herself after she discovered her husband had raised a family in secret" Lotte told her.  
Zita stood there stunned at what she had just said and then wept for the loss of her only sister.

_"Dearest brother Gregorio,_

_I am severely saddened by the loss of our sister._  
_ Even if she had despised me and made a fool out of me, she is still my sister no matter what._  
_ Please forgive me if I cannot attend the funeral due to my brittle state of pregnancy, I am not allowed to travel far distances in this condition._  
_ I hope the family's name isn't put to shame even deeper than what I had done before._

_ Your youngest sister,_  
_ Zita"_

Giovanni equipped himself with his throwing knives and dagger before leaving for his mission. He went back to his office to fix some several things and he heard laughter from the dining room across the hall from his workplace.  
He peeked through the crevice between the doors and watched his family happily eating dinner. Ezio was back to his usual self as he and Federico both had a tug of war with the last bunch of grapes. Maria scolded the two and told them to act like proper adults.

The youngest siblings however laughed and grinned widely at their older brothers.  
Giovanni grinned and put on his cloak and went through the secret entrance of his home. He had been told there has been a mysterious group that had been plotting some kind of conspiracy.  
He scaled up the building and started his search for his target.

Giovanni walked carefully on the rooftops of Firenze and saw his target below. He quickly jumped down to attack them however one of them fled from the fight.  
He easily struck down his opponents with his sword and there was one that was breathing. Giovanni turned his head to check if anyone saw him when he saw there was none, he grabbed the remaining man and brought him to Lorenzo de Medici's guards for further investigation and interrogation.

Ezio leaned against the window where Zita used to lean on before. He heard clutter downstairs and he saw Annetta rushing inside his room. "Terrible news…Zita's sister, Fortunata has committed suicide" she said. "What? Was there a reason?" Ezio questioned her.  
Annetta nodded her head and said "Her husband Orsino had been discovered to be taking care of a woman and a newborn child." Ezio shook his head in shame and looked at the maid again "And what of my wife how did she take it?" "…They say she's very hurt signore"

Zita sat there on the floor of her bedroom in her mourning garments the next day. She was reading her brother's reply letter to her and read that she was the only chance the family has left.  
They had discovered that Flavio's fiancé is unable to bear children much like Fortunata.  
Zita sighed, crumpling the piece of paper and threw it across the room only for it to bounce on the wall and land beside her.  
Amalia entered the bedroom and bowed, "There is someone here to see you madonna" she said. Zita sniffed quietly as she rose from the floor carefully and went to the lobby to see her husband. She smiled nervously and ran into his arms crying.

Ezio caught her neatly. He held her close to him until she calmed down and ceased crying. "Forgive me if I came at such time" Ezio said. They were in the East Drawing Room having tea and biscuits.  
Zita shook her head "No, you came perfectly I was starting to feel lonely here" she told him. Her husband nodded and drank his tea quietly. He gazed out at the garden through the open windows where a little lamb was grazing on the grass taller than him. "It's very peaceful here" he said.

His wife gazed out as well "Yes. I was hoping to make it like my garden back in Vienna with all the trees and the flowers…" she sighed.  
"Just so I can raise the baby in a beautiful place" Zita turned to Ezio asking what had happened in Firenze for the past days she had been gone.  
"They're all well though father has been going out on business trips most of these days" Ezio said. "And Petruccio?" she asked.  
"He's regaining his strength, it seems that he's getting better now but still needs rest."

Zita smiled a bit and put down her cup. She moved closer to her husband and lay her head on his chest hearing his heartbeat and breathing.  
"I missed you" she said. Sighing, Ezio wrapped his arms around her loosely and inhaled her scent. Grass and rosewater, he thought as he pulled her closer. They laid like that on the couch for a while holding each other and wishing neither would let go.

The sun was at its highest when Zita showed Ezio the little farm she was raising. In exchange for her dogs, she had two little lambs. For jewelries she had wreaths and flowers and for her expensive shoes she had work maid sandals.  
"Oh look they let the chickens out" Zita pointed out as they crossed a path to a small cabin where she could read poetry while listening to the farm animals. A milkmaid came to pour some fresh goat's milk into two white cups for them. "Here Ezio try it" Ezio took the cup from her small hand and took a sip.

"It's refreshing" he said. Zita smiled at him and drank as well. They talked more about the countryside while walking towards the orchard where some of the servants were checking the fruits that grew during that cold season.  
"Look, this one's a little early" Zita said plucking an apricot from its branch and handed it over to Ezio. He instead grabbed her hand and pulled her into a kiss.

Giovanni had arrived in Milan hoping that he could save the Duke from his untimely death. He sneaked into the side entrance and blended with the crowd. He saw Galeazzo Maria Sforza enter the cathedral escorted by five men. Giovanni had to hurry or else Milan would lose a prominent figure.  
Galeazzo knelt down in front of the altar and prayed quietly that his children—both legitimate and illegitimate—would flourish and pass on his name to their children.  
He stood up and faced his people. His ever loyal courtiers knelt before him and one kissed his hand. But then the nobleman wouldn't let go of the duke's hand. Lampugnani took out a knife and stabbed Galeazzo in the groin and breast. He and other two people helped in the stabbing and the duke had fallen.

Giovanni was too late. He had tried to capture one of the conspirators however he was killed by one of Sforza's men. The guard sat down beside his master and bowed his head in mourning.  
Before Galeazzo closed his eyes forever he muttered something in which the guard heard.

Zita opened her eyes to see the bright sun shining down on her face. She and Ezio were reclining in a boat in the middle of the pond. Ezio rowed the boat slowly whilst Zita dipped her hand in the cool water. Everything was peaceful, birds were chirping happily and squirrels scurried back to their homes with their food.  
Zita sighed and looked at Ezio smiling; he smiled back and rowed the boat back to the small dock.

"Will you be staying?" Zita asked him. They entered the villa again hand in hand.  
"Only for the night" he said "I have to return to Firenze tomorrow I still have things to do."  
His young wife smiled and nodded. "I understand I'm glad you're helping out your family and I thank you for visiting me and comforting me" they walked down the hallway together and entered Zita's bedroom.  
"You can go clean yourself in the bathroom; I'll just prepare the bed" Zita told him.

Ezio entered the wide bathroom and washed his face a bit. There were many vases filled with bright colored flowers and different artwork. He started to undo the strapping of his clothes when he entered the bedroom again and caught sight of his wife in bed, naked and wearing only her jewelries.  
Ezio snickered and gradually took off his clothes, he sat down on the bed and Zita gestured him to come closer.  
He crawled towards her and she pulled him into a fierce kiss.

Zita fiddled with his buttons until she got to pull his shirt over his head, she marveled his sculpted chest and Ezio leaned down to trail kisses from her neck down to her abdomen, Zita grinned widely as her husband pulled her closer for the sweet embrace.  
"Now are you sure you'll just stay for the night?" Zita asked in the middle of the heated passion. Ezio grinned and placed his mouth over hers.  
By morning Ezio was already buttoning up his shirt. Zita sat on the bed still naked while watching him prepare to leave.

She frowned however Ezio tilted her head up to look at him "I'll come back for you alright?" Zita nodded and closed her eyes when he kissed her forehead playfully. He stepped out of his wife's bedroom glancing back a bit before finally walking out of the villa and rode on his white steed.  
Zita watched him leave from her window and she released a sigh. She walked to the bathroom to take a bath and eventually enjoy another day.  
Despite being in the same small town everyday, Zita felt as if there was something waiting for her to discover.

She wore a tea green gown and a pale green coat. Her hair was let down while she walked in her garden followed by her two maids. Abruptly they heard noises from inside the villa and a group of armored men came out with axes and swords ready.  
"Zita D'Angelo! You are hereby ordered to come with us to the Court of Milan immediately!" one of them announced. Zita stared at them callously. She knew something was waiting for her. "If you do not comply we will use force!" Lotte and Amalia shuddered.

The young mistress let out a silent sigh and started walking towards the group of guards. They led her out of the villa and into a carriage where the coach quickly snapped the reins and they were out of the town.  
Lotte and Amalia both noted that their young mistress continued to stare blankly with a straight face. Because this carriage was faster than normal travelling carriages they reached Milan by sunset. The guards opened the door forcefully and pulled Zita out roughly by the elbow.

"Stop it she's sick!" Lotte shouted protecting her young mistress from them. "Right. This way" two more guards came from behind as they escorted the young girl and her maids through the Castello Sforzesco.  
Courtiers present there all stared and looked at the girl entering the castle. She was soon brought into a large hallway.  
"Maybe this is the part where everything ends in such an unhappy way" Zita muttered.

The large doors down the hall opened then two guards seized Zita by the arms while the other two pulled back Lotte and Amalia.  
"Where are you taking her! No!"  
Zita was now in a large room with a fireplace on the other side of the room and a long table in the middle of the room.

"Your name is Zita am I right?" a voice said behind the chair that was facing the fireplace.

"Si…and you must be Bona of Savoy" Zita replied. A woman stood up from the chair, a servant bowed and stepped away for his mistress to walk towards Zita. "I'm glad you know me" Bona replied kindly. She looked at Zita from top till bottom and also walked around her. "You look rather petite my dear, has your mother been feeding you?" she asked.  
"My mother takes care of me very well" Zita told her.

Bona smiled and gestured for chairs to be arranged for them. "By now you should know what you are here for" she said. Zita clasped her hands in the front, her lips thinning into a line like she used to do in tough situations like these.

"I am aware" was all she could say. Bona let out a sigh and told her to sit on the cushioned chair. "The Duke of Milan has been assassinated. By his own noblemen" she said.  
Zita twitched a bit but forced it in her. "And before he passed away, he muttered something like it was worth saying before dying…It was your name." The girl before her sat unmoving by the news.

She never cared; it was because of him her mother had to live alone in Vienna just to raise her young daughter into nobility. All of those years of hardship, of tears and of pain could never alter Zita, not anymore.  
"…You should know that I was aware of what had happened many years ago. What I'm going to tell you now is the truth and nothing but the truth. The evening after your birth, it was Galeazzo who led your mother out of Milan and gave her a house to stay in to raise the child. He was conscious about Ambra's pregnancy but voted not to know anything about it, he was the one who gave Ambra the rank of nobility and in return she informed him everyday of your life in Vienna."

Zita looked into Bona's face deeply, "Nothing is true. All you say are lies" she said bitterly.

A guard placed his hand on the hilt of his sword but Bona glared at him. She looked at Zita again sighing.  
"I knew you wouldn't believe me. But bear in mind Zita that Galeazzo loved you and your mother very much which is why you have a legal guardian in France by the name of Delphine Chevalier or you probably know her as your godmother who sends you diamonds."

Zita continued to disagree with the Duchess of Milan.  
"No matter how many lies you are going to tell me. I refuse to acknowledge myself as the daughter of that man. I am Zita D'Angelo, daughter of deceased Dario D'Angelo. I am no one else's daughter but his alone."

Bona sat there a little dazed at the young girl's confidence, "But still Zita. You will remain under our watch and we will be here to support you as a member of the court of Sforza" "…I will agree however my name must never be etched within the court. I'm merely just a young wife of a nobleman."

Zita stood up and bowed to the Duchess. "I would like to go back to Tuscany please, I'd rather raise my child where I'm more at ease" she said and head to the doors.  
Her maids were relieved to find that their young mistress was safe. But then tears began to fall as she walked down the hallway and into the carriage.

Bona watched the carriage leave the court and was out of sight. The door creaked open to let Caterina Sforza inside "Caterina what are you doing here?" Bona asked her adopted daughter. "I heard that you found another of my father's illegitimate children. Where is she?" Caterina asked. The Duchess sighed and gazed out the window again "You came too late. She already left for home" she said.  
"And that's just it?" Caterina said.

"…She is given special attention by the court. Even if the odds are against her she continues to fight…much like you" Bona said smiling at her husband's daughter.  
"She is older than me isn't she?" young Caterina asked. The Duchess chuckled and nodded.  
Zita arrived back in the villa near midnight, everyone had been worried what had happened to their young mistress. She told them not to worry anymore and she needed to eat something quickly. The cooks present nodded and hurried to cook their mistress' favorites.  
Zita sat on a couch placing her hand on her forehead and took a deep sigh. Then she shuddered violently and cried for the death of her real father.

December was gone and soon two months had passed.  
March was finally the spring season and the garden of the D'Angelo villa was a beautiful spectacle. Many flowers grew, young were born into the farm and butterflies were the main attraction.  
Fruits were now ripe and ready to pick. The servants that worked the orchard began to pluck the fruits from their branches and placed them in baskets.  
Fifteen-year-old Zita stepped out of the villa smiling at the scenery before her; she carefully walked down the stairs placing a hand on her growing womb. "Madonna" a servant boy handed her a peach and she excitedly sank her teeth into the fruit.

It tasted very sweet to her. The very essence of spring.  
A milkmaid handed her a cup of cow's milk mixed with honey for her to drink. Zita thanked her and sipped a little.  
Diamonds had been sent to the schools and orphanages plus the remaining ones were made into priceless jewelry upon Zita's return to Firenze.  
She sighed as she put down her drink on the table and picked some flowers to make into wreathes. Her doctor had visited her last week and told her that she was 'well and alive again' and that she can return to Firenze anytime.

Zita finished the wreathe and placed it on her head. She was surely going to miss this place. During her days there, she had many of her portraits painted and sent to Firenze, Milan and Vienna. Ezio's personal favorite was the one where she held a red rose in her hand.  
She was in her dressing robes when she announced that they return to Firenze the next morning. Her maids were reluctant but nevertheless agreed.  
Zita thanked everyone who had taken good care of her for the past months that she's been with them. She handed the key back to Agnese and told her to keep the villa safe until her return. The woman nodded and bowed formally at the young girl.

Zita waved goodbye to everyone at Chianciano Terme from her carriage and hoped she received a warm welcome in Firenze.  
The gates never did change as she passed through them again. She looked outside the window and saw the once incomplete buildings were now finished with such exquisiteness.  
She even passed by the once leaking orphanage and saw the children playing happily outside. A smile was present on Zita's face throughout the little ride.  
Petruccio was admiring the black feather he held and he spotted a carriage stopping in front of the gates of their home. He knew it at once who was home.

"Kuchen! Zita's home!" he exclaimed. The bloodhound beside him perked up and wagged his tail. "Federico! Ezio! Zita's home!" Petruccio shouted throughout the hallways alerting all of his older siblings including his parents.  
"What? She's back? Does that mean she's alright now?" Claudia said. Petruccio huffed at his sister's reaction. "Of course she's alright now!" he said.  
It was Federico and Ezio who rushed out of the house first. The boys were both excited to see what Zita looks like now.

The carriage door opened to let a three-month pregnant girl out. Zita cautiously got down from the carriage and smiled at everyone. She wore a turquoise gown with pink embroidery, she wore some pearl earrings and the wedding ring was visible in her hand.  
"Welcome back sorella!" Federico exclaimed.  
"I'm glad to be back" she replied.

Ezio walked up to her to place a soft, chaste kiss on her lips. After he broke off he placed a hand on her growing belly. Zita chuckled "The doctor said it's very healthy" she told him.  
The man before her chuckled and kissed her one more time.  
While the maids were fixing the bedroom Giovanni had called Zita to his office. "Is there something you need to say padre?" Zita asked him "Yes and it's because I trust you and I want to keep you safe" Giovanni said.

He had told her that there were secret passages all throughout the palazzo and one was in her private room. "Whenever you are in danger, you will use that place to escape. Only Maria and Annetta knows of this and they will have use of it in the right time" Giovanni said.  
Zita nodded at her father-in-law's instruction and kept the small map of the palazzo's passages with her.

She went downstairs in a light pink maternal gown made for her and searched for her husband. Zita spotted Federico lounging about on the couch probably day-dreaming about something. "Federico" Zita said as she approached her brother-in-law.  
"Yes?" Federico chirped gazing up at Zita's belly instead. She crossed her arms at him. "Have you seen Ezio? I can't seem to find him anywhere" she said.  
Federico shrugged and closed his eyes to resume his dreaming. Zita pinched his nose to partially stop his breathing, "Aright! Alright! I'll go look for him!" he said.

"Grazie" the girl smiled.  
She watched him leave the palazzo in search for his brother.  
Zita hoped that nothing wrong would happen to Ezio, he was probably in another fight or something. She sighed and returned into the palazzo with fate pulling on the strings.


	8. Lineage

**Watch out for the surprise in the end ;)**

* * *

Today was exceptionally good day, Ezio thought. Today he will round up all of his friends to fight against Vieri de Pazzi at Ponte Vecchio and he will make sure that man will pay for insulting his family.  
Ezio looked at his reflection in the mirror as he fixed on his doublet and vest. He might as well think up of something to insult Vieri. Maybe about Fiore. He smirked to the thought and head downstairs to greet his lovely young wife Zita.

She had her long pulled back to a loose ponytail that some of her hair was dangling on her shoulders. She wore a bright yellow maternity dress borrowed from Maria's closet and a pair of sandals. Zita smiled at her husband and greeted him back.  
"Buon giorno mio dolce (my sweet) heading somewhere?" Zita asked. Ezio nodded his head and gave her a small peck on the cheek. "At least eat something before you go again" she said handing him newly baked bread with some jam.

Ezio took a bite and rushed out the door waving at her. Zita shook her head and ate up the other half of the bread he left.  
Of course she didn't know what Ezio had been doing the past months she had been away from Firenze. Always fighting Vieri de Pazzi and other notorious noble families. Zita, Claudia and Petruccio were left on the breakfast table; Giovanni had gone off to work while Maria had gone to visit a sick friend.

"Yes it was very beautiful we always let the little lambs out to graze on the grass. It was a lovely sight" Zita said to Claudia. "Hey Zita have you and Ezio thought of a name for the baby when it comes out?" Claudia asked her. The young wife shrugged "Not really I think it's too early to thought of a name though, the doctor said it's only three-months old" she said.  
Claudia nodded and resumed eating breakfast.

"We could name it Uccello" Petruccio suggested. Zita and Claudia looked at him with eyebrows raised. "That sounds strange" Claudia said. However Zita smiled, "I kind of like the sound of it. Uccello (bird) just like Ezio (eagle) it's perfect if ever it's a boy" she said.  
Petruccio stuck his tongue out at his sister and laughed. Lucio came in and bowed at his rightful mistress "Your godmother has sent you gifts" another servant boy walked up to Zita carrying what seems to be a bird cage and inside was a little nightingale. The little bird tilted its head to the side and chirped a lovely song.  
"It's so beautiful. Put it in my private room and write a letter saying thanks for the diamonds and gifts" Zita said.

Federico came down the stairs. His hair in disarray and his clothes a mess. "Sometimes I think of you and Ezio as children whenever you two come down the stairs looking like complete idiots" Zita said as she walked up to fix Federico's shirt and doublet.  
"Speaking of Ezio, where did he go?" Federico asked grabbing a piece of bread from Claudia's plate. Claudia muttered a loud 'Hey!' but he paid no mind. "Ezio went out again I don't know where to and I'm starting to worry" Zita said. "Maybe he's running off to Cristina's house again" Federico said and received a playful slap across the face.

"Ow, I was joking" he muttered.  
"Anyways I'm inviting the girls over for tea and I was wondering if you would like to join us" Zita said while walking around the dining hall admiring the new and old decorations.  
Federico let out a nervous laugh. How he wished Ezio would stay at home for once to accompany his wife. "Um forgive me sorella but I have an appointment with…Roberta" he lied.  
"Oh never heard of her. Who is she?" Zita asked him.

"Just someone. If I see Ezio along the way, I'll tell him to come home" Federico said and rushed out of the house. Claudia shook her head and said that she needed to see Ducio, her boyfriend.  
The young girl in the room sighed and looked over at Petruccio.  
"Zita would you like to play chess while waiting for your friends?" the little boy asked. "Sure but truthfully I don't know how to play, can you teach me?" Petruccio nodded and led her to his room to put out his chessboard and chess pieces.

He taught Zita the basics of the game and they had a trial whether she got it or not. There were several occasions where Zita would do unnecessary moves and apologized after.  
"Do you move the queen here or there?" she asked him "No you move it here" Petruccio pointed out for her. They kept playing until Zita got used to it.  
Amalia entered the bedroom and bowed in front of her mistress. "They are here madonna" she said. Zita nodded her head and looked over at Petruccio "I'll be gone in the private room if you need me alright?" "Alright" Zita lightly kissed the top of his head and went out to greet her friends.

Petruccio sighed and began to reassemble the chess pieces again while Kuchen and Macaron stayed inside his room to keep him company.  
"Girls, I'm so glad you came" Zita said hugging each of her acquaintances. Gisella gasped at her friend's new figure "So it's true! Wait till madre hears this!" she exclaimed.  
"Yes all of the noblewomen will be surprised" Diamante said. Zita chuckled and led the girls to the private room. They drank tea and asked Zita about her villa in Chianciano Terme.  
"Oh it's very lovely girls, whenever I walk out into the garden I feel like I'm walking in the forest again" Zita told them.

They continued to gossip about other things like Vieri or Fiore and even Cristina Vespucci. "Certainly that girl boasts a lot but the men don't seem to mind probably because they'd rather stare at her cleavage the whole day" Beatrice said swirling her cup of tea.  
Zita shook her head and carefully listened to the nightingale's music. The little bird chirped about as he sang his tune for them. She had read in a book once that mostly males sing because they were attracting females which are naturally true.  
"By the way my father is complaining to Cristina's father that he can't supply him anymore guards" Gisella said. Her father was somewhat the supplier of the city guards and often times to the noble families who need extra security. Which is why Gisella feels so protected.

"Why's that?" Zita asked. Beatrice shifted her gaze at her friend and shook her head. However Gisella wasn't the type to shut her mouth from time to time.  
"Don't you know? Ezio's been meeting Cristina days after you left to rest. So that's the reason why the guards around her palazzo were doubled. He always had an eye for her you know and in return she's showing him her beautiful bush" Giada, who was nearest Gisella, elbowed her and told her to keep quiet.  
Zita's lips thinned once more and put down her cup on the table. She sighed and patted her lap. "I'm tired, this baby's taking most of my energy I could barely walk around Firenze" she said. Beatrice quickly put her cup down and stood up "Oh let me help you dear" she held Zita's hands and carefully helped her off the couch. "Grazie Beatrice…"

"Well, it's best we go and let you rest. You look really tired Zita" Beatrice said smiling. "Alright Bea" Zita hugged her friends and escorted them downstairs.  
She waved at them as they left the palazzo. A feeling started to crawl up in Zita's chest when she returned to her private room. She closed the door shut and then fell on her knees crying.  
That evening only Federico returned home to eat dinner. When Giovanni asked where Ezio went he didn't reply and said he was busy.

Zita bit her lip and held it all in. But everyone in the table could see the pain in her eyes. Maria held her hand firmly and smiled at her daughter-in-law.  
After dinner Zita proceeded to the bedroom to sleep. She lay there in the dark looking out at the windows thinking about her husband being unfaithful. Most men did that especially when their wives became pregnant and could no longer suffice their sexual appetite. Zita turned cautiously in bed and shut her eyes to drift off to sleep.

The next morning she sat in the courtyard wearing a cream white maternity dress and white shoes. On her lap was a bowl full of berries and grapes, she threw one grape at Kuchen who caught it easily.  
Zita sighed and leaned against the wall for support. Giovanni was standing at the gates waiting for his son to come home. It was already in the middle of morning and he hasn't come back yet. Another berry was thrown and this time Macaron caught it.

Zita placed her hand on her swollen belly and waited patiently for her husband to return. Just then she heard the familiar voice by the gates, she sat up straight and saw Ezio speaking to his father and it was not a very comfortable conversation they were having.  
"You need to learn self-control Ezio! You already know you have a wife and an upcoming child yet you still run rampant in Firenze with other women! I may act like that before when I was young but that was before I met your mother!" Giovanni exclaimed.

Ezio sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Don't give me that sigh now go apologize to your wife" the young nobleman walked inside and instantly spotted his young wife sitting by the stone bench eating her breakfast.  
"Ezio!" Zita exclaimed. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.  
Ezio hugged back and could smell the scent of flowers in her hair. Zita looked up at him smiling. "I missed you where have you been all night?" she asked. Before Ezio could answer Zita saw the scar on his face, "What happened? Did you get into a fight again?"

"I-Vieri he insulted my family and I didn't want him to get away with it" Ezio explained. Zita's voice lowered a bit "Have you forgotten the events before? What had happened to you three months ago?" she said.  
Ezio grunted "Look I was too distracted back then. I didn't know what I was doing" he told her. "Oh and do you think I'm not worried about your well-being, what you do here while I was away by myself in Chianciano Terme? Do you think of me as an idiot like what those old women say about me?" Zita said, her face now showing various expressions.  
She was angry yet she wanted to cry.

"Zita you're not an idiot-" "Then why are you still after Cristina when you think of me like that? I'm not an idiot you say, but your actions are making me look like one!" she said raising her voice a bit. Giovanni could only stand by and watch his son solve the problem on his own. "Zita, I only went to Cristina because she's the only female friend I have" Ezio said.  
"Is she? That's not what Gisella told me, it's so obvious Ezio that you can't seem to see it in front of your face! I can't-" she paused a bit when she felt something.

"I can't- I can't…I'm not supposed to get mad at you but you're making me-" she paused once more to place a hand on her womb. Ezio and Giovanni knew something was wrong.  
"Ah!" Zita shrieked as pain shot through her body. "Zita? Zita!" Ezio caught his wife when she fell. He saw blood gradually staining her white gown.  
Zita felt throbbing pain in her belly thinking that something had triggered the baby to act like this. "Call the nearest doctor!" Ezio shouted.

He carried Zita inside and brought her to the bedroom. The doctor arrived quickly and nearly shoved Ezio out of the way. "What's happening?" Zita asked through tears.  
The doctor said series of words Zita couldn't make out then she fainted.

When she woke up, she instantly sat up and touched her womb. There was still a bump. She sighed in relief and rested against the added pillows for her.  
She needs to rest; the baby was taking toll of her body that's what the doctor said before he left the Palazzo Auditore.  
It was almost a miscarriage but the baby was saved. Ezio exhaled deeply and buried his face in his hands. "I'm such an irresponsible father…" he muttered.  
"I think of that too. Only when you and Federico go into mischievous fights around Firenze" Giovanni said and sat beside his son on the couch.

"Responsibility may be a widely used word but no one has ever captured its true meaning yet. Learn from your mistakes so that you could protect your family from danger." Ezio nodded in understanding. Giovanni smiled and patted his son's back, "Now let Zita rest while you have something to do for me. Deliver these to Lorenzo de Medici, it's an important document mostly about the rates but make sure it reaches him" he said.  
"Si padre" Ezio replied taking the papers from his father.

Zita glanced outside the window and could hear the nightingale sing from the other room. She bit her lip and wished she could go out again.  
Federico entered with a bouquet of flowers in hand "Hey I'm glad to see you well" he said. He shoved his bouquet with the rest of the flowers in one vase. Zita chuckled nonchalantly. "The baby must be so energetic regardless of being small" she told him.  
"Must be" Federico replied.

Zita's eyes have become puffy again from crying. Everything was stressing her to a point where even her pregnancy was affected.  
She licked her bottom lip and continued to look out the window. Federico glanced outside too wondering what catches her attention most of the time.  
"You know I never get it" he said.  
"Get what?" Zita asked him. "What causes you to stare like that, all I see are rooftops and chimneys and churches" he replied.  
Zita smiled, though it looked like she forced it. "If you have great imagination you'll be able to understand what I'm thinking about…I miss the trees" she sighed.  
Federico chuckled "Tell you what? One day we will all go to Chianciano Terme to enjoy your forest of a garden" he said.

The young girl perked up "Really? Including Petruccio?" "Including him" she smiled widely at her brother-in-law and gestured him to hug her.  
"I don't want to pop your belly" Zita let out a joyful laughter and told him it won't. Federico bent down to hug his sister-in-law. "Get well soon so we could all go" he said.  
"I promise" Zita replied.

When he left it was Maria who came in next. "I'll go fetch the paintings from Leonardo so that you could see what he has done over the past months" she told her. "Okay…" Zita smiled weakly.  
They were all trying to cheer her up and it looks like it was failing with every second. Zita feared for her baby and for her husband's reputation.  
Now that everyone knew that she was back what other rumors will the spread about her? The scandals, the lies and the truths.

Zita had ordered Lucio to go to one personal dressmaker to check the other maternity gowns she asked for. He nodded quickly and left in a flash.  
The servant boy ran through the streets then climbed up a stack of crates to reach the rooftops. He carefully dodged the archers and landed in front of the dress shop his mistress was familiar with.  
"Buon giorno, I was told to see if the gowns were ready for my mistress Zita" he said. The dressmaker told him that she would finish it by next week and Lucio quickly left to relay the message. But then he saw something running through the streets.

He recognized them as the city guards and they were heading to the palazzo. Lucio ran as quick as his feet would let him, scaling up walls and ran on the rooftops. His skilled feet brought him back to the palazzo just in time. He breathed heavily as he rushed into the bedroom of his mistress "Madonna, there are city guards coming to the palazzo! We have to hurry!" he exclaimed. Lotte and Amalia were of course frightened and helped Zita out of the bed. "Inform mother and the rest of the family" Zita told him. Lucio nodded and ran out of the room.  
Lotte fumbled with Zita's robes that her hands were trembling violently from fright.

"Lotte" Zita said "...we'll be alright, let's hurry downstairs" the maids aided their mistress and there Claudia, Petruccio and Maria met her in the family room.  
Giovanni and Federico were there thinking of a plan to ward off the guards. There were three women present, one was young and pregnant, and there was a weak child as well.  
Zita could feel Petruccio's uneasiness beneath her fingers and looked down at his face. He held her robes tightly when they heard the gates crashing open and the banging of the door.  
Giovanni quickly pulled out his sword as his last resort.

He was going to protect his family no matter what.  
"Federico, are you ready?" he asked his son beside him.  
"Yes father" Federico nodded and both got ready to attack the guards that suddenly came in.  
Maria quickly put her children, including her daughter-in-law, behind her back to protect them. Giovanni had closed the doors to the family room and all they could hear was swords clashing and flesh smacking against flesh.

"Where is Ezio?" Zita asked slightly whimpering.  
"He's alright dear don't worry" Maria assured her. Petruccio began crying a bit and buried his face in his mother's arms.  
The next thing they heard was silence and the door bursting to let the guards in the room. Maria pushed all of her children behind her hoping and praying that they would be safe.

Ezio rushed back to the palazzo.  
Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong. He ran along the rooftops to avoid annoying guards patrolling and watching out for him.  
He was near an edge and instantly leaped into a hay stack below. Ezio quickly emerged and continued his sprint to his home.

When he arrived, the gates were in shambles. The front door was left open and he could distinctively feel the air of horridness coming from his own home.  
Ezio walked inside seeing everything in disarray, there were specks of blood here and there. He feared whatever happened.  
His thoughts were interrupted when he dodged an attack from none other than Annetta, their maid. "Oh! Messer Ezio!" Annetta exclaimed.  
"What has happened here?" Ezio asked her. "The guards…they came and took your father and brothers…." Annetta said weakly. "And my mother and sister? Zita?" he questioned her.  
"They're in the family room" the maid pointed out.

Ezio hurried and saw the doors have been barged in as well.  
Inside the room he saw everything was in chaos. His mother sat unmoving, never speaking a word at all. She was like a statue there even when Amalia tried to shake her out of her reverie. To the left of the room Ezio heard crying and what he saw almost broke his heart in pieces.

Lotte supported Zita's head on her lap. The young girl's eyes were closed and she looked deathly pale. Her lips were dotted with tiny specks of blood and around her neck were wrapped by a bandaged with blood seeping out.  
"Ezio!" Claudia appeared and ran into his arms.  
"What has happened here?" Ezio asked, placing his hands on his sister's shoulders. "The guards…they assaulted mother when she refused to…And Zita…they forced miscarriage on her and even tried to slit her throat to instantly kill her and the child…Ezio it was so terrible!" Claudia cried.

Ezio glanced over to his wife and he came near her. He knelt down on one knee and slowly picked her up from the ground.  
She was still breathing however she lost consciousness. He ran his hand on the bloodied bandage and pressed his forehead against Zita's.  
"Please don't die on me Zita. Just wait. They will pay for what they did" Ezio muttered softly to his young wife. "Is there any place where they can hide?" Ezio asked.  
Annetta nodded "Yes. To my sister's!" she said.  
"Good. Bring them there and keep them safe until I get back" he said. Ezio then faced Lucio "Protect her" the servant nodded.

The last remaining male Auditore ran out of the palazzo to visit his father in prison and investigate on what's going on.

* * *

**OMG TO BE CONTINUED...**

Ah shit this is gonna make me cry again :(  
(THE DAMNED EXECUTION PART!)**  
**


	9. Innocence

**Oh shit I cried a lot in the ending :'(  
**

* * *

Lotte remembered the very first day she entered the house of a foreigner and her child.  
She was only fourteen at that time, her father was merely a farmer and her mother was slowly dying of disease.  
Because the family could no longer suffice to their needs, her father sold her two younger siblings into slavery in Germany and gave away her youngest sibling, merely two-months old to a noble woman in England and Lotte had to work her way instead.

When a noblewoman from Milan had decided to live in Vienna, she had hired Lotte to be the nursemaid of her only child whose name was Zita.  
Zita was only four when she first met Lotte and from that moment on they shared a bond that could only be seen between sisters and close friends. Since then, Lotte had always been by her side even until the end.  
Right now Zita needed Lotte beside her, to tell her that everything will be fine and this would all have been a dream.

Annetta had brought them to a bordello, a brothel. The courtesans present there were a little bit surprised to see the small group enter their humble abode.  
But when one of them saw the pale girl asleep in one's arms she hurried her into a vacant bedroom. "Get the needle and thread quickly" Calandra said, Lia nodded and hurried downstairs. "Wait what are you doing?" Lotte demanded. "Isn't it obvious? I'm going to patch up this wound! Any longer that it stays like this, she'll die sooner or later" the courtesan told her. "But at least clean your hands!" Lotte exclaimed.

Lucio placed his mistress on the bed and slowly removed the bandage around her neck. There was a small gash on the side of her neck where the blood had flown violently after they had assaulted her. The guard that thought of that idea had clearly a sick mind. But they were paid to capture just the males of the Auditore, not ravish themselves on the young wife of one.  
Calandra dipped her hands in a bowl of cool water and began the surgery.

It took a little while since this was the second time that Calandra did this. The first being Calvina when a drunk guard stabbed her in the stomach for not doing her job well. She managed to stitch up the wound however she feared that maybe they were too late.  
Calandra gently held Zita's wrist to feel a tiny pulse. "She is alive but I am not sure if she will live long enough. She has lost too much blood. All we can do now is pray that she awakens."

Zita could see it. Her abundant garden, her home and her mother. They were all there waiting for her. She gathered her skirt up so she could run hastily towards it. "Mother! Mother I'm home!" she shouted.  
Ambra waved to her from the lavender field and welcomed her with a warm embrace.  
"I'm so glad you've come home Zita" she said. "I'm so glad too mother" Zita said smiling widely at her mother face.

They walked down the worn path filled with blossoming wisterias and other beautiful flora. "You know Eduard is coming back from Germany" Ambra told her daughter. "Really?" Zita said overwhelmed a bit from the statement. "But what about Christiane?" she asked.  
"Who?" her mother asked her. Zita only shook her head and continued walking down the path. Then she heard a whimper. Zita looked back and saw nothing but the trees behind her. "Mother did you hear that?"She said but when she faced her mother all she saw was a laurel tree beside her. The whimpering went on until she heard a shrill cry from the daisies like a baby's.

Zita rushed to the section of the garden and saw a small baby in white clothes. When it saw her it giggled uncontrollably like it had been expecting her.  
The young girl smiled and picked up the child from the ground. "Now who would leave such a beautiful baby like you all alone out here?" she said holding the child in her arms and cooing him. She had noticed it was a boy because of the features.

"Hello there stranger" Zita quickly turned around to see a little girl probably six-years-old standing there wearing a simple white gown with orange floral embroidery. "And you are?" Zita asked her.  
The little girl pouted at her cutely, "Don't you recognize me? I'm Aria (air) and I'm only five-years-old!" she said.  
Zita smiled at her "Nice to meet you Aria. But tell me, why are you here in my garden?" she asked. Aria giggled "What garden? This is everyone's garden! This is the place that our mothers imagine and sometimes it is the purest portion of their hearts when they expect their children" she told her.

The young girl was surprised a bit at the child's vocabulary but nonetheless understood. "So this side of the garden is yours and it's really pretty. I really love the peach orchard and the chrysanthemums" Aria said pointing to various flowers beds dotting the place.  
"I love them too" Zita said. She looked at each one and the baby in her arms giggled.

Aria quickly grabbed her hand and led Zita to the pond where colorful fishes swam and water lilies were growing perfectly.  
"I've always wanted one of those" Zita pointed. "I do too but it's sometimes hard to get because they're always wet" Aria said scratching her little head.  
The two along with the baby walked around the garden, admiring everything surrounding them. Until they reached some kind of forest where the leaves were orange then they changed to red almost immediately.  
"Oh he's furious…" Aria said quietly.  
"Who is?" Zita asked her.

"My father. He loves my mother dearly to the point that he almost got killed by people who hurt my mother" Aria explained and picked up a leaf that was red on the bottom and yellow-orange on the top. "…My husband was like that…he almost got himself killed because of revenge…what happened to your father and mother?"  
Aria looked up at her from the ground and pursed her lips. "They lived happily of course and then they had me!" she said cheerfully but then it vanished into a frown.  
"Aria what's wrong?" Zita said placing a hand on her small shoulder. Just then an eagle swooped down and landed on the branch of an oak tree.  
"That's how I think of my father. Strong and vigilant like that eagle…" Aria said.

The baby in Zita's hands had vanished completely into mist. "What is going on here?" she asked as the garden began to wither and deteriorate.  
"You're going to wake up soon. So don't forget my name because you'll be naming me that when I come out" Aria said with a smile.  
"Wait….You're-"  
"Bye-bye mamma!"

Zita's eyes flew open and she quickly sat up from the bed gasping.  
Her hands flew to her neck to touch the stitches that were there and then her womb where she felt a tiny bump. Zita sighed blissfully that tears ran down her face.  
She was inside a small room. It was decorated with a simple table with a mirror, a closet and dak red curtains that minimum sunlight could enter.  
Zita got out of bed and pushed aside the curtains to see the sun shining down on Firenze.

The street below was full of people and guards.  
"Where am I?" she said to herself. Then she remembered the events before. She quickly placed a hand to her mouth. Giovanni and Federico had tried their best to protect them from harm but they lost and they had taken them away including Petruccio.  
Zita hastily did the sign of the cross and prayed that they were safe and nothing terrible would happen to them.

"Ah you are awake" a courtesan said when she saw Zita coming down the stairs in a white dress with peplum that Lotte had fetched from the dressmaker. "Paola is waiting for you in the courtyard. Go to her" the courtesan told her. Zita nodded and went to the bordello's courtyard.  
From there she saw more courtesans fanning themselves and giggling about men's sizes from the smallest to the biggest.  
She saw a woman in a red gown talking to Lucio.  
"Madonna!" Lotte and Amalia appeared from the left side of the courtyard. "Zita! You're alright!" Claudia exclaimed hugging her sister-in-law. Zita smiled at them and then looked up at the woman walking up to them.

"I'm glad you are well signorina. You are Ezio's wife am I right?" she said. "Yes, yes I am and you must be Paola" Zita replied. Paola nodded and gestured for her to take a seat near the overgrown climbing ferns. "I have heard many rumors about you. But the one I know the most is that you are a child of the recent Duke of Milan is that right?" Zita closed her eyes and frowned deeply at the statement.  
"I am not. I am Dario D'Angelo's eighth child therefore his youngest" she said.  
"I knew you would say that. Is your baby alright?" Paola asked her.

Zita nodded her head placing her hand on the bump. It was a miracle that her baby had survived their brutal attacks, any more of that and the baby would have died inside of her.  
"Forgive us if you are entangled in this mess, we really did not expect Giovanni and Dario to arrange such thing between you and Ezio" Paola said. A courtesan came carrying a tray full of biscuits and placed two cups of tea as well.

The tea looked a bit dark than its usual color. "You knew my father?" Zita asked her dumbfounded at the remark. "…You never knew did you? What about his sons?" Paola said. "They're all wealthy businessmen in Milan that's all, just what are you trying to imply?" the young girl asked the woman before her.  
"I guess I can't keep it forever… Zita, Dario D'Angelo was an Assassin much like Giovanni. Dario lived in Milan just so he could protect the ruling family and its heirs however he had died early of sickness leaving nothing of his true heritage to his children or his wife."

Zita bit her lip and gazed down at the tea cup in front of her.  
"The Duchess…Bona of Savoy told me that Galeazzo had loved me and my mother that he was the one who sent us to Vienna to live a better life outside of the politics. Ambra, my mother never really told me anything until the arrangement and all" Zita told her.

"Then that must be the reason why Dario had set up a marriage between you and the son of another Assassin. So that a child of the Duke would be kept hidden and safe from the eyes of the rivals of the House of Sforza" Paola said and brought the cup to her lips.  
Zita did the same and sipped on her tea "It tastes a bit strange" she said.

"It's ginger, they say it's good for pregnant women" Paola said. "Oh…" Zita gazed up at the fern and saw little flora but nevertheless it was exotic and beautiful at the same time.  
"By the way what do courtesans do actually?" Zita suddenly asked since she was a bit curious. She may have met Calandra and the other girls but she never really knew what the courtesans did as a job.  
Calvina giggled quietly beside Lia and it was Calandra who answered her question.  
"We courtesans 'pleasure' men if you know what I mean. We let them ravish themselves on us and we get paid afterwards. It's the only business we courtesans know of and we entertain men for our pleasure as well" she explained.

By the time Calandra was finished, Zita's face flushed. "We also had Ezio as our customer for several occasions but hey he's your customer now" Lia said.  
Zita stuttered to find the right words but instead she drank her ginger tea. The courtesans surrounding them giggled.  
What seemed like hours passed when Lucio returned with a message.  
He was gasping a bit as he ran towards Paola and Zita who was still curious about the bordello.

"They…They've executed Giovanni and his sons. Uberto Alberti spared none even the youngest of the Auditore" he said. Zita gasped sharply and felt her whole body shudder. She leaned into Paola for support and the woman comforted her in return.  
Tears ran down Zita's face as she prayed for the souls of her family. Then she realized something. She quickly faced Lucio with tears still fresh on her cheeks "But my husband. What about Ezio?" she asked him.  
"He is safe madonna but he is still escaping from the guards" her servant told her and added "He is a wanted man now in Firenze" Zita slowly let go of Lucio's shoulders and started to walk towards the garden and then sat down on the ground.  
Her servants could only watch as she rocked back and forth crying at what was happening.

Ezio stepped inside the building after escaping the guards, Annetta had showed him the way earlier. He was surprised to see many courtesans inhabiting the first room and he saw one courtesan doing her job on the couch.  
"I think we have the wrong building" Ezio said looking over at his housemaid. "No. No this is it" Annetta said. They heard hurried footsteps and Ezio saw his young wife running down the stairs still crying from the events previously.

She wrapped her arms around his neck into a tight hug and softly whimpered.  
"Zita…" Ezio let out a soft whisper. The said girl stepped back a bit to show him the stitched up wound on her neck. They had tried to bleed her to death. "Ezio I'm scared, I don't know what I can do to help you…" Zita said. Ezio smiled a caressed her cheek with his gloved hand, "You being here is helpful enough…and the child?" "It is safe" Zita replied smiling a bit.  
She had paled during the moments that her blood seeped out of her. Her cheeks could no longer produce its redness and she was getting weak. All of this was stressing her out.  
Paola had approached the two and waited for the moment she would speak to Ezio. He had noticed and turned to his wife.

"You rest and regain your strength. I have to do something before we plan to leave Firenze" Ezio said. Zita could only nod at her husband's orders.  
"…I promise we will live in a place where we can raise the child like you've always dreamed of" his wife smiled at him and replied with a simple peck to the cheek.  
She watched her husband leave the room and follow Paola to the courtyard.  
Zita looked at the floor for a second then quietly returned to her room to rest. The bed was small but was quite soft, there were dark red curtains that decorated the windows that almost blocked out the sunlight, probably for privacy. The walls were in a lilac color and there were several groups of candles all over the room. Zita sat down on a chair near the window and leaned back against it.

_"Tell you what? One day we will all go to Chianciano Terme to enjoy your forest of a garden" _  
_ "Really? Including Petruccio?"_  
_ "Including him. Get well soon so we could all go"_  
_ "I promise Federico"_

_"Tell me another story Zita!"_  
_ "I will if you promise to go back to bed after"_  
_ "I promise now tell me another one!"_

_"A wife should always be by her husband's side"_  
_ "I know padre. Thank you very much for being a father to me…"_

Zita ran a hand through her hair, sighing. It would seem that she had run out of tears to shed for them. All she could do was to pray.  
She closed her eyes and felt her body relax and indeed it was in the need of rest. She was almost dozing off when there came a knock on the door. "Come in" she said yawning a bit.  
Ezio came in, "Sorry I had to disturb your sleep but I just wanted you to know I'm going out for a while" Zita suddenly got tensed when he mentioned 'going out' she quickly gripped his hand and looked into his face.

Only now did she even notice his new clothing. White robes, a red cape, a hood and a sword.  
"Don't" Zita pleaded. "What if they capture you?" she said.  
Ezio bent down to plant a kiss on his wife's forehead. "That would be the least of my problems. But right now I have to get father's weapon fixed by Leonardo and then I…" Ezio paused.  
He was unsure whether to tell his wife on what he was planning. She might fear him for what he will do.  
"Ezio?" the young man blinked and gazed into his wife's face. "Just be safe…" she said.

"I will. I promise" he kissed the top of her head lightly and went out to seek Leonardo Da Vinci. Zita was stuck in the bordello along with Claudia and Maria who still showed no signs of speech at all. She was almost catatonic. She just sat on the bed provided for her praying and praying while holding the feathers Petruccio collected.  
Zita felt sad about her mother-in-law's current behavior and wished there was a way that could get her out of it. She even wanted to tell Maria so badly what Petruccio was intending for those feathers but she made a promise to the young boy never to tell and it was promise she would keep indeed.

Paola had told Zita not to utter a word about what was going on to Claudia for if by any chance she was told, she might never accept the fact that her father was a hired killer.  
To Zita she remained calm even though she was frightened and confused about the whole Assassin and Templar story.  
She had heard before that Templars were holy soldiers committed to bring peace for God but coming from an Assassin, it was different from what the people believed.

Very different. "But why are you telling me all of this?" she had asked Paola in between their conversations. "Because Zita, being the wife of an Assassin has its flaws just like the one in the palazzo. Because you are pregnant, they suspect a male child and so to stop the lineage of the Assassin bloodline in the Auditore they would have to kill it while its still weak" Paola answered. "That's terrible…" "Indeed which is why you need to be aware of Ezio's doings as did Maria to Giovanni" Zita looked up at Paola confused. "Madre was aware?" the owner of the bordello nodded. "Yes. And to fill you in with a little information, Giovanni was there when your father—Sorry—Galeazza was assassinated by his own courtiers" Paola said.  
"He was?" Zita said quietly.

"Si. They were associated with the Templars to kill the Duke of Milan just so Firenze could lose a powerful ally." "Then my father wasn't just killed because of his reputation but of his alliance with Firenze…"  
"Understand now Zita where your fate now lies" Paola said. "…It's not only my fate…but Ezio's as well…our fates have entwined the moment we shared those vows in that church…" Zita remarked and excused herself to rest her tired body.

Night eventually came and Zita was a little anxious about various things. First off was her husband's safety and where he was at this hour, second were the men that might come in the room and mistook her for a courtesan then finally was about Ezio's plan.  
What will he do? Is he going to avenge his family or is he merely going to escape Firenze forever?  
Zita sighed and looked up at the cracked ceiling. Just then she heard loud thumping footsteps coming from below. Her maids who were there just in case anything happened suddenly jumped from their uncomfortable seats.

"Che cosa la scopata è voi che esaminate? (What the fuck are you looking at?)"  
"Di punto uomo grasso da parte! (Step aside fat man!)"

Zita knew the person and groaned deeply covering her face with the sheets. They heard several punches later and Ezio stepped inside the bedroom. "Is she asleep?" he asked the maids.  
"I was until you disturbed me" Zita replied peeking from the edge of the covers. "Do you need any help Messer Ezio?" Amalia asked him referring to the article of clothes he was wearing. "Oh no need, I can handle this on my own. You can go rest now girls, thank you for your help" he said.

The two maids bowed in respect and left the bedroom. Ezio locked the door so that no other drunkard would come inside and disturb his wife any further.  
Zita lit a few candles by the bedside table and she could see Ezio through the dim light.  
She shifted her gaze to his belt that had a strange symbol on it as well as the bracer on his arm.  
Paola told her it was the symbol of the Assassins and it was a very ancient one to date.

Ezio removed his cape, then began to remove the rest of his clothing. He threw his clothes to a lone chair in the corner and kicked off his boots. His body felt tired from all the running as well as the weight of the clothes on his shoulders. He crawled into bed beside his wife.  
Zita smiled at him like any wife would and leaned down for a kiss. Ezio complied and began trailing kisses down to her neck.  
She groaned when he had nibbled and sucked on one portion of her neck and she couldn't resist the urge to whisper his name.

Too bad he could only do this for six more months to come. Ezio sighed, satisfied with his work and pulled Zita closed to him. She had noted how he clung to her like a child.  
He needed her, more than ever. To comfort him in this time of need. Zita ran her hands through his hair and stared sincerely into his eyes.

"Ti amo…" she said. Ezio smiled and rested his chin on the top of her head.  
"Ti amo anche…" he replied.  
Zita inhaled his scent and she shuddered a bit when she smelled the distinct smell of blood. "Ezio…what will you do now?" she asked him hoping that he would answer her honestly.  
"…I will kill Uberto Alberti…" And she was right.

Zita awakened to the sound of laughter and dogs barking. She found out she was all alone in bed. There was a note for her laying on the bedside table, she reached for it and recognized the handwriting.  
"Zita, I will be back before noon. Do not wander off. Love, Ezio"  
Back before noon from his mission to kill Uberto it seems. Zita put down the letter and stretched her arms.  
"Lotte! Amalia!" she called for her maids and they came exactly minutes after she said their names. Lotte pulled the old nightgown over Zita's head and Amalia replaced it with a chemise. She wore a light pink gown with a pink sash used as a belt but not too tight in her waist. Lotte and Amalia led their mistress to a kitchen where she saw Claudia and Maria eating breakfast on a rickety old table.

Claudia stood up promptly when Zita entered the room. "Zita tell these women to let us go home! I can't stand it here! It smells bad and there are ugly men who mistook me for them!" she exclaimed. Zita wondered if Claudia was acting her age. "We will leave but we can't right now.  
Not until Ezio returns. Just endure a little bit and then we'll go" Claudia let out an exasperated sigh and returned to the table.  
They ate stale bread with some honey and drank goat's milk. Zita had trouble chewing on hers so she dipped the thing in the milk to soften it.

Indeed the bordello smelled bad of sex and other things. Just now they heard the creaky stairs indicating that the men had left.  
A satisfied Ersilia came in fanning herself. "Buon giorno" she said sweetly to the family eating. "Buon giorno" Zita replied with a smile. "So how was your night?" she asked. A few courtesans near her giggled to themselves, Ersilia paid no attention and moved to answer Zita's question.

"Lovely. The man had it coming" she said smiling widely and picked an over-ripe banana. It was a bit wet in her hand but she didn't mind.  
Claudia made a disgusted look to Zita's direction. The young girl merely patted her hand to tell her everything will go fine. But everything was not fine anymore and she doesn't when it will end.  
It was already mid-afternoon as Ezio returned to the bordello. His Hidden Blade stained with the blood of his first kill.

He had a rush of respite and resentment flooding within him. But as soon as he saw his mother and sister coming to tell him how horrible it was to stay there for the night, he calmed down.  
Zita came last since she was a bit weak. She slightly furrowed her brows at Ezio.  
"You said before noon" she said.  
"Mi dispiace amore. I had a run into things" Ezio explained. "Probably because of this hood" Zita said tugging on the tip of the white hood. Her husband chuckled and held her hand. "We're getting out of here as soon as we can" Ezio told her.

She nodded and turned to her maids "Will they be coming with us?" she asked. "Of course, we still need someone to take care of you in that current condition" Ezio said.  
"But Ezio where are we heading?" Claudia asked him. "To Monteriggioni, to our uncle's villa" Ezio replied. "Ezio are you crazy?" the young Auditore girl exclaimed "Zita is in no condition of walking that far! Even you complain before how far it was without going on a horse or carriage!" Merda. How could he forget? Ezio turned to his wife thinking of a plan to get out of Firenze safely and then travelling to their destination without tiring anyone else.  
It was there that Lucio stepped up to him. "Excuse me Signore but I have a plan" he said.

Zita bowed her head low enough to conceal her face from the guards. Lucio held on to the reins of the horse while Lotte and Amalia were sitting with the hay.  
Lucio said that they will disguise themselves as a poor family going back to their farm. It wouldn't be suspicious plus it was the only way to travel to Monteriggioni without tiring out Zita.  
She glanced back at the crowd seeing Ezio blend in easily with Maria and Claudia following behind him.

There were eight guards that were guarding the gates and all of them were armed.  
"Halt!" one said to Lucio. He walked up to the scrawny servant and then looked at Zita. "What's with her?" the guard questioned Lucio.  
"Forgive my wife, she's ill. Sunlight pretty much hurts her eyes so the doctor advised her to put on a cloak. Her skin is sensitive as well" Lucio explained.  
The guard walked around the cart inspecting the hay if anyone was hiding in it and then glanced at the 'daughters'.  
"Alright let them through!"

Zita clenched her skirt relieved that they were allowed to pass. Lucio stopped the carriage behind a nearby storage house and Lucio quickly got off to check if Ezio and the others had followed them. Lotte and Amalia then were busy taking out all of the hay and threw it to the ground.  
Zita put down her hood and waited for her husband to come.  
At last he had arrived and the maids had cleared the cart for them. They helped Maria and Claudia on. Ezio patted Lucio's shoulder muttering 'Good work' under his breath and went to sit at the front beside his wife.

Zita smiled at him and off they went to his family's villa.  
She glanced at the field seeing the wide area that covered the land. Spring flowers continued to bloom and the sun had begun to set in the horizon. "Enjoying the red poppies?" Ezio asked her.  
She turned to face him with a frail smile "I'm saying goodbye" she said and looked back at the walled city.

The road was dangerous at nightfall. Zita wrapped her cloak around her arms to keep herself warm. "We're almost there, don't worry" Ezio assured them. But then Lotte caught sight of something along the road. "Stop!" she shouted and they saw Vieri and his group of guards.  
"Lucio, stay here and protect everyone" "Si Signore" Lucio replied immediately.

Before Ezio could leave Zita held on to his arm "Wait Ezio! You can't fight all of them!" she said. "I have to Zita" "But you'll get killed!" Zita cried.  
"I won't" Ezio jogged up towards them ready to take on whatever was set before him.  
Zita and the others could only watch as Ezio tried to singlehandedly defeat them. There were some who have fallen however two men rushed past him and were heading towards them. "Come here girl!" one sneered and grabbed Zita by her wrist. She screamed loud enough and a fist came in contact with his face instantly knocking the guard out.

Zita gasped and looked at Claudia who seemed surprised "I've always wanted to do that" she said. "Well let's just hope you don't. Ever again" Zita replied.  
Lucio took out his stiletto and stabbed one guard through the throat. Blood spluttered out quickly staining the cuff of his shirt.

Zita promptly stood up still focused on Ezio fighting against the guards. "Ezio behind you!" she shouted and Ezio did turn around time to dodge one's attack.  
"I'm sure your lovely wife would make a pretty bride Ezio! Once I've dealt with you I'll give her my special attention!" Vieri shouted emphasizing every word. "I'll never be your wife you ungrateful pig!" Zita shouted from the carriage suddenly outraged at his remark.

"You think you can get me by killing my husband? Hah! There are several ways Vieri! SEVERAL WAYS! And none of them will work against me!" she screamed.  
"We'll see if you can still talk back once I cut off your tongue!" Vieri shouted back. "Let's see you try cazzo!" Zita taunted him to the point that he stepped out of his place.  
"Madonna!" Lotte shouted and pulled her young mistress behind her "Get away from her!" Amalia exclaimed as she tried to distract Vieri however she was easily pushed aside by him. "Where's your bravery now Zita?"

"Right here!"

An arrow zipped past them and it knocked the dagger out of Vieri's hand. The nobleman grunted and started to step back when he saw a group much larger than his come over. Two gruff-looking men joined Lucio and began fighting off the guards that were aiming to kidnap any of the women.  
"Amalia!" Lotte got down helping her fellow maid up "Is she alright?" Zita asked.

"Madonna I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you" Amalia said slightly whimpering "You broke your ankle during the fall, get on the carriage quickly" Zita told them.  
Vieri grunted seeing all of his men fall defeated by this man! How dare he interrupt such battle and it was getting pretty good too.  
"Fall back! Retreat!" was Vieri said and ran off to escape. Ezio had won for now.

"You have done very well nipote!" a man in red garbs said as he approached Ezio. "Wait, who are you?" Ezio asked him "Don't you remember? It's-a me! Mario!" the man exclaimed and hugged Ezio tightly "Uncle Mario?" Ezio said confused.  
Lucio had guided the cart towards them. The moonlight made it easy for everyone to see each other's faces. Zita tilted her head slightly if she heard the man right. This was Ezio's uncle? He seemed different than Giovanni and had no resemblance at all.

"Zita!" Ezio said when he saw his wife. She jumped a bit when he mentioned her name. "Ezio" she said in a hushed tone. "I say I was quite surprised by your vocabulary back there" Ezio said. Zita smiled and bowed her head "Grazie. I was just angry that's all, it was wrong and I was merely speaking my mind" she said.  
Mario cleared his throat at the two "Nipote mind if you introduce me to this young lady?" he said. "Forgive me. Uncle Mario this is my wife Zita, Zita this is my uncle Mario" Zita bowed and put her hand out as accustomed for the man to kiss it in greeting.

Mario stepped back after "Wife nipote? Well it seems that Giovanni had forgotten to inform me of such important event!" he said. "Anyways, let's head to the villa, your wife looks like she is in need of rest" Ezio nodded and Lucio led the cart towards the town of Monteriggioni.  
It was almost like Chianciano Terme but a lot bigger. However the buildings were showing a little bit of deterioration and there were several shops closed down and in need of renovation.  
"There it is. Casa dolce Casa" Mario said gesturing to the large villa at the top of the hill.

It was the oldest building in the town dating back to their great-great-grandfather. The villa was once a beautiful structure always shining and always majestic. Yet now it was a mere shadow of its formal self: the cornices were chipped, there were dead vines crawling up on both sides of the building, the roof leaked and the walls were riddled with cracks, as Mario had been unable to maintain its upkeep over the years.  
Ezio helped Zita off the cart while Lotte and Amalia helped Maria and Claudia. They started trudging up the giant staircase up to the villa's very own doorstep.

Zita gasped quietly. The outside of the villa lied about the inside. The lobby was made of purest marble that she had to rub her eyes from the brightness. "Ezio" Claudia started hoping not to offend her uncle "I don't like it here. I want to go home" she said.  
"So do we, but we can't now Claudia" Mario had told them where the bedrooms are and told Ezio to go meet him in his office after.  
Zita climbed up the staircase, lightly touching the marble handrail. She checked her hand and saw so much dust had accumulated. She went to the left wing of the villa and checked one bedroom. Most of the furniture were covered by canvas sheets, the windows were shut and curtained and there was even a bat residing in the fireplace.

"I will clean this up for you in a minute madonna" Lotte said, getting inside quickly. "Lucio" Zita said "Please bring Amalia to the doctor, she needs to get her ankle fixed." Her faithful servant nodded and guided Amalia out of the villa.  
The young mistress went to the other rooms of the building and even saw a music room. There were several halls that were screaming off-limits due to the cobwebs and rats lurking about in the darkness. Zita used her handkerchief to wipe a portion of a window clean so she could see the villa's garden.  
No plant life grew and there was an unused fountain in the middle.

"I hope you find the villa your liking" Zita stood upright when she heard Uncle Mario's voice. "Yes, it is. It just needs a few renovations that's all" she said. "I'm sorry if it's not in my position to ask but why did you live here instead of staying with your brother in Firenze?" Uncle Mario let out a huffed grunt.

"Monteriggioni is my home! I must defend it like a man instead of filling out balance sheets like my younger brother Giovanni" he said.  
"But if you did went with him, you would have met a life of luxury" Zita told him.  
"And leave the villa to ruins?"  
"It already is…Forgive me; the doctor did say this pregnancy will have its consequences. I talk back more than I'm supposed to" Zita said quietly. "You are with child?" Mario asked her. She nodded her head "I suppose Ezio forgot to tell you that as well" Zita gazed out the window again seeing the dead trees and the barren soil made a horrific scene in the moonlight.  
"Basta. You are now part of the Auditore! You now share everything the family knows and everything the family earns" Mario exclaimed.  
"Grazie Uncle Mario" Lotte approached her young mistress telling her that the bedroom was prepared however it still needed some cleaning up to do.  
"If you want Uncle Mario, I could send some of my servants from Chianciano Terme to help clean this place. They will be paid by my expense so you wouldn't have to worry" Zita suggested. "Why thank you Signorina, I would be most honored if you do" Zita nodded one last time and head back to her bedroom.

Lotte had lighted several candles to illuminate the room and Zita saw the bed had four big pillows that could be makeshift beds for her dogs. Now that she thought about it Zita had left her dogs back in Firenze. Not to mention her clothes, her shoes as well as the other expensive things that the Auditore family possessed.  
She slipped out of her gown with the help of Lotte and slipped into the bed covers. "Do you need anything Signorina?" Lotte asked her. "Can you check if they have some biscotti and vin santo wine?" her maid bowed and went out to fetch the things her mistress needed.

Zita gazed up at the ceiling seeing a gigantic crack leading from one corner to the chandelier that hung on the ceiling. She then looked at the fireplace and she saw a rat crawl from one chair to another. She shrieked and brought the sheets just above her mouth.  
Lotte returned but instead of vin santo she had red wine instead. Zita dismissed her after and ate the biscuits in bed. She sipped on her wine a bit and minutes later her husband came inside fairly exhausted. He took off his clothes in a rush and climbed into bed.

"How are you doing?" he asked kissing her softly on the lips, he could taste the bits of biscuits on her lips and a little wine.  
"I'm well. Except that this room is too huge and it scares me" Zita said. "We'll have to endure this…I plan on taking us to Spain but I still don't know when" Ezio told her pulling the covers just below his chest. Zita nodded and munched on her last biscotti.

"Care to finish the wine with me?" Zita asked. Ezio slowly sat up and sipped on the wine glass. She smiled at him and placed the empty glass on the plate by the bedside table. Ezio placed his hand on Zita's womb and kissed her. "I promise, we'll raise the child where we will all be happy" "Thank you Ezio…"  
Morning came on the small town of Monteriggioni and surprisingly it was Zita who got up first. She had the curtains opened as well as the windows to let the country air in. Lotte and a few maids of the villa cleaned the bedroom she was in first.

Zita uncovered a well-furnished office table that had the Auditore crest in the middle. She wished to have it as her own where she could write letters to her family in Milan and to her mother in Vienna.  
She had ordered Lucio to fetch her gardeners, servant boys and dressmaker from Chianciano Terme in order to fix the villa's garden and maybe the villa itself.  
Ezio had been sent to fetch several things for his uncle and when he returned to the villa he saw Zita gazing out at the rich countryside.

It looked like Monteriggioni was contrast to the vast area surrounding it.  
"Zita why are you outside? You should be staying in bed" Ezio said as he approached her. "Forgive me, I couldn't resist…The view from my room wasn't enough" Zita said looking down at their wedding ring. "Ezio…I know this is a stupid request but could you please find me some flowers? It will be nice if you do…" she said feebly.

Ezio sighed then agreed "You act so much like Petruccio…" Zita shuddered at the name of the boy but nonetheless smiled. "If I fetch you your flowers, will you return to bed?" Zita chuckled at him. "You sound like you want to faccia l'amore (make love) to me. Alright, I will" she watched him go and leave Monteriggioni once more to fetch her flowers.  
Just like any patient wife, she waited for him by the stairs. There were several of Mario's men walking around the place. When they passed by Zita, they bowed in respect to the young girl. Zita smiled and bowed back.

She placed a hand on her womb and sighed. When Ezio returned, he came back with a handful of baby's breath and some cornflowers and one summer pheasant's eye. Zita smiled at the beauty of the country flowers and took them kindly.  
"Grazie Ezio" she rewarded him with a peck on the cheek. "Now will you return inside?" Ezio said, his wife chuckled sweetly again and nodded.  
Zita decorated her room with the small bouquet of flowers in the corner of the room. She turned around sighing. The room was now clean and she managed to find an old painting as well.  
She might get used to this someday.

A month had passed and Ezio was becoming more and more diligent in his training.  
Zita came in one day to Maria's room to replace the dead flowers in the vase. Maria still did not speak to them nor did she even try to pause from her praying.  
Her mother-in-law just prayed and prayed over and over for her sons and husband.  
Zita pulled out the brown, decaying flowers from the vase and placed new ones to lighten up the mood in the room.

Zita hoped that one day Maria would learn to let go. She walked back to her room in a cornflower blue maternity gown and she paused to hear her husband taunting a fellow mercenary in order to induce the fight. She smiled to herself then returned to her bedroom.

Her gardener told her that the current soil might not be enough to suffice the plants he wanted to put. Zita assured him that they will grow no matter what.  
The old man nodded and returned to his plans on the garden. If only there was a way that this whole town could be renovated in order for the place to flourish.  
Zita checked her balance and saw that there was only a little amount to help in the renovation. She leaned back against the winged chair behind her table and thought of what to do.

Lucio had reported to her that the palazzo had been ransacked, everything stolen and nothing was left except for one of her paintings that had the words puttana Austriaca written on it. Other words include ladro (thief) and truffatore (swindler).  
It seems like she will start a different life now. She didn't want her child to know that they used to be so luxurious before and then something happened that caused them to be this way.  
Zita folded the paper and placed it on the table.  
Lotte came in and handed her a red envelope. She knew it was from her brother. But when she checked the handwriting it wasn't from Gregorio but from Bianca.

_"Dearest sister Zita,_

_I have heard from Lucio what has happened._  
_ And I am deeply sorry to tell you this but we have now cut our ties with you as decided by my husband Gregorio. News of your illegitimacy to the recent Duke has now spread across Milan and now the family has been charged of kidnapping a child of the House of Sforza._

_We are doing what we can to prevent this. They have already executed Basilio, his wife and his children. We are now residing in Genoa to escape from anymore Milanese guards. _  
_ Bona of Savoy has even told us she is doing what she can to stop them but Ludovico is still set to banish any more children of the Duke._

_Forgive us Zita. We still love you dearly as our sister until the end._

_Your sister-in-law,_  
_ Bianca D'Angelo"_

Zita put down the letter and gazed up at Lucio. "Can we not write back?" she said.  
"I'm afraid not madonna, they have already captured Cirino and his family when he attempted to travel to France. They face their death sentence by Sunday…" Lotte said.  
Zita placed a hand on her forehead then bit her lip. "What am I to do? I can't go out there and proclaim myself as a child of Sforza…I had sworn in front of the Duchess that I will never speak of that house ever again" she sobbed.  
"I am so sorry madonna-" "Just leave me!" Zita shouted and turned away from her maid. Lotte bowed and quickly left the bedroom.

They had sworn never to speak of her illegitimacy no matter what the torture was. Every single one of the D'Angelo family was killed and their names have been erased from the course of history forever.  
No one uttered their names anymore, no one even dared to speak ill of the foreign girl that had once entered the city in a different name.  
Everything was silent once again in Milan and none dared to destroy that silence.

Zita awoke from her nap when she heard doors slamming. She quickly got up putting on her robe and went out to the lobby. She saw Mario speaking to his mercenaries and stepped out of the villa. "Uncle Mario!" she called out to him. She rushed down the staircase barefooted to meet up with him. "Where are you going?" she said.  
"Out to execute our plan. Vieri has been on our nerves for far too long! You might as well tell your husband not to be a coward and accept the fact that he is an Assassin much like us!" Mario exclaimed. "Yes but you did not have to vent your anger on me" Zita said sternly, her little baby bump sticking out a bit from her robe.

"Oh forgive me.. Just tell him I left and went to San Gimignano" Zita smiled sweetly and nodded. "I'll tell him when he wakes up" she said.  
Mario waved goodbye and quickly left with his small army. Zita was left in the lobby, she stretched her arms and returned to the bedroom to see Ezio hugging one of the pillows and his hair in disarray.  
She walked near him and kissed his forehead. Ezio twitched a bit and turned in his sleep.  
Zita head down to her table and began to review the town's value.

By the time she was reading the fifth report, Ezio sat up awake. "Buon giorno" Zita said and put down the papers.  
Ezio smiled then yawned loudly. He got off the bed stretching his tired arms, hearing a few good pops here and there.  
"By the way, Uncle Mario has told me that he went to San Gimignano" Zita said putting her stuff in the right order. "Che cosa? What for?" Ezio asked as he stared at himself in the mirror. "Ezio you do know Vieri has been pestering him because we are here and I know that man won't stop at nothing until we're dead" his wife said.

"Then what does that have to do with me?" Ezio said tying his hair back to a neat ponytail. Zita promptly stood up from her chair fueled by her hormones and mood swings. "Ezio use those skills that Uncle Mario has taught you! Even though I'm just a weak bystander I understand what he is trying to say!" she sighed and placed a hand on Ezio's chest.  
"Please Ezio, try to understand what your Uncle is trying to tell you…" Zita said then went off to change into a pale blue gown.

She head downstairs to eat breakfast with her family. The food wasn't so bad and the baby didn't seem to protest.  
Ezio came down in his attire looking ready to fight. "I hope you know what you are doing Zita" he said grabbing a piece of bread and chewed on it "Of course, a husband must trust his wife" Zita replied.

Ezio nodded and went out. "Wait, I want to see you go" Zita said getting up from her chair. She wrapped her arm around Ezio's and the two went down the stairs together till they reached the gate.  
Zita gradually let him go. Ezio turned around and looked at her. "Come home safe alright?" she said. "I will" he bent down to kiss her hand softly and then rode on a horse to pursue his uncle. All Zita could do was watch him leave and then return to the villa by herself.

The day went by briefly like any other and Zita found herself looking out for any signs of Ezio at the gate. Lotte and Amalia came out with a candlesticks in their hands.  
Zita smiled at her maids and waited for her husband to return.  
Cold winds brushed upon her skin and she slightly shivered, Lotte took off her cloak and placed it on her young mistress' shoulders.

It took them a long time standing there but they were rewarded greatly. Zita spotted a group of men entering the town and one of them was clad in white garbs. Ezio had returned victorious and with a wide grin on his face.  
Zita rushed down the stairs to greet him "Ezio!" she ran into his arms and kissed his cheek. A few mercenaries chuckled at the two but they paid no mind.  
They were together again.

Months had flown by and it was September. The weather began to grow cool preparing them for another cold season.  
Zita stayed in bed anxiously staring at her large womb. She never thought her baby would make it but it did. She was going to be a mother anytime or maybe soon.  
Ezio headed out for a courier mission once again and might take longer than it used to be.

He wanted to stay in the villa instead and wait with his wife when their child is born but there were no exceptions when it comes to missions.  
Zita smiled as she opened her favorite poetry book and read quietly. Just then she felt something on her lower back. She swiftly lifted the sheets and saw that her water had broke.  
"Lotte! Amalia!" she shouted then pain shot throughout her body.

It took three whole minutes for her maids to understand what was happening upstairs. "Call the midwife quickly!" Lotte exclaimed, several more maids accompanied her upstairs to help fix the bed to begin the homebirth.

Lotte and Lucio helped Zita sit up properly on the bed. The midwife came in and checked on Zita, "Just wait a few moments Signorina, you have not fully dilated yet" she told her.  
"What do you mean by that?" Zita screamed. "Very healthy child" the midwife muttered and they all waited for the right moment to begin.  
She screamed every moment the pain shot up her whole body. "This is taking too long!" Zita exclaimed grasping the bed sheets tightly.

The midwife checked again and patted her thigh "Alright everyone. Let's begin! Where is your spouse Signorina?" she asked the young girl before her. "The hell do I know?" Zita grunted and screamed once more.  
Lucio had been set out to search for Ezio in San Gimignano on horse. When he found the Assassin he was already done with his kill. He placed the body down and was surprised to find Lucio at the gates "Hurry Messer! Madonna Zita is already in labor!" he said.  
Ezio quickly got on his horse and snapped the reins.  
He wasn't going to miss this ever.

When he returned he could hear distinct screams coming from the villa. Ezio rushed up to it sometimes pushing some civilians out of the way and burst to the doors a little frantic.  
"Oh so now you chose this time to enter-AH!" Zita pulled her head back as she gave another push. "Be quiet now, concentrate!" Ezio put down his hood and hurried to his wife's side and held her hand. However Zita managed to slip away and slapped his face instead.

"Don't you dare touch me you ungrateful-AH!" she screamed again and pushed. "You're doing well figlia! I can see the head!" the midwife said.  
Zita screamed again when she felt like her whole body was being ripped apart.  
Twelve hours of labor paid off and Zita gave her final push to let the baby out, the couple heard it. The shrill cry of a child. "It is a boy!" the midwife announced. She handed the baby to nursemaids to have him cleaned.

"Uccello, I wish to name him Uccello" Zita said gasping. Ezio smiled and kissed his wife's sweaty forehead "As you wish my love" he replied.  
The nursemaid handed them their son and Zita held him carefully. Uccello had his father's eyes and his mother's hair. He was such a handsome baby boy.  
"He's so tiny" Ezio muttered "He looks so much like you…" Zita said and kissed her baby's little head.

Zita wanted to have a family portrait with Ezio beside her and them looking over at Uccello's crib. The painter that they've hired was merely from the town yet the portrait was lovely.  
But it had only been three months since Uccello's birth did a doctor found some sort of ailment with him.

They say it was the plague and some claimed it was tuberculosis when they had overheard little Uccello cough violently in his sleep.  
And on February 15, 1477 little Uccello passed away in his sleep after five days of convulsions by the cutting of new teeth.

Zita and Ezio watched as the small coffin was brought out of the church to be buried outside in the town's local cemetery. Zita felt a pang in her heart when she gazed at the small thing that carried her first child. All of those months of enduring the pain and all of her hopes were gone just because the doctor did not check if he was sick or not.  
Ezio glanced over at his wife who continued to stare at the leaving coffin. As a father he was deeply saddened as well.

A few had grieved for the loss of the child and some had paid their condolences to the couple. After the coffin had disappeared from their sight, Zita returned to the villa and walked down the hallway with tears slowly running down her face.


	10. Renewal

So my poll is still going on whether or not I'm gonna write a sequel or not. It'll end at July 14 so keep commenting peepz!

One has said 'Go for the first I'd like to see someone brave enough to make her main character die' (orsomethinglikethat)  
Another, (a fan from France) has suggested me some new stories to write. Honestly I didn't expect that my stories would reach that far and all I'm doing is to sit down in front of this computer eating diet chips and drinking carbonated water while I write a new chapter.  
So yeah, give me your suggestions on what I should do next. It makes me happy that you're happy about my stories :)  
(Oh I almost forgot, there is one who wanted a sequel hmmm there are several consequences since AC Brotherhood isn't out yet so I dunno what will happen not unless I see the whole thing)

**AMFG I LOVE CESARE BORGIA AND HIS STUPID FLOWY SHINY BLACK HAIR MADE FOR SHAMPOO COMMERCIALS *so flashy!***

Okay! Here's the latest chapter of Zita! I hope you guys like it and I hope I don't have school tomorrow so I could relax and write some more for my fans :D

* * *

Hopeless. Everything was hopeless now. Her child had died just three months after he was born. She never expected such thing to happen to her especially on her first child. She wanted him to grow up just like his father, his father . . .  
Zita glanced over to the man who was still asleep on their bed. The man that slept there breathed slowly his chest heaving up and down, Zita suddenly remembered the events last night.

"I am so sorry Zita…"  
He was standing in front of the lit fireplace. Zita sat on her chair staring at the dancing flames before her, illuminating her amber eyes. "It wasn't your fault Ezio. God has His reasons for taking Uccello away from us. What's done is done" she said.  
"You are not the only one mourning for the loss of your child" Ezio said darkly.  
"But you weren't the one who endured so much pain of protecting him," Zita said, her voice shaking. She promptly stood up and glared at Ezio.  
"Where were you when the guards came charging into the palazzo? When they tried to assault your mother and when they tried to kill me just because I was going to bear a son?"  
Ezio stepped back as if he had received a physical blow. His face registered a myriad of emotions—shame, anger, pride—but he remained silent. In the end, he abruptly turned his back on her and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Well. That was that. Zita picked up the quill from its ink, took out a piece of paper, and began writing a letter.  
After she had written the letter, Zita folded the paper and tucked it in a red envelope with her family's crest on it. She went to the servant's room and awoke Lucio. The servant boy quickly got up rubbing all of his sleep away.  
"I need this to be sent to my godmother. Do not ask any further questions when you come back with the reply" Zita told him. Lucio nodded putting all of his trust into his young mistress and vice versa. He took the letter, tucked it in his bag and hurried out of Monteriggioni on his steed.  
The rooster had crowed loudly to tell everyone in the little town that it was time to wake up. Ezio lazily opened his eyes and groaned a bit when the sunlight half-blinded him. He sat up from his bed and looked to his left seeing an empty space.  
His wife must be at the gardens again. Ezio got out of bed and put on his shirt, he buttoned it up while heading towards the window. He saw his young wife sitting beneath the tent provided for her whilst watching the beautiful country scenery.  
Zita bent down to pluck some grass that had grew for the past months. "What was the use of making life when you don't even know how to take care of it?" she said to herself.  
Lotte and Amalia could only stand by and wait for the day that their mistress would learn to accept the fact that her son had died.

It was just another typical Tuscan day. Ezio and Zita were quietly absorbed in their own thoughts as they sat side by side at the new breakfast table.  
Zita stared down at her plate. It had some vegetables, a few cubes of cheese and little amounts of meat. She raised her hand and Lotte came to give her a glass of water. She sipped on it and placed it back on the silver platter.  
Ezio—being the nobleman he is—ate heartily not even glancing at his own wife even once. He wiped his mouth clean and threw the napkin on the plate.  
"Well," he stood up from his seat "I'll be off for another mission and I might come back after a few days. I promise I won't be long" Ezio leaned over to kiss her on the lips like he always did, but at the last minute Zita turned her head so that he kissed her cheek instead.  
"…Just go" she said.

Ezio looked embarrassed, and he embraced her awkwardly instead.  
What was wrong with her? She seemed to have distanced herself from him. She was his wife. Why was she acting like this? Zita stared down at her untouched food as Ezio left the dining hall.  
"I'm done with this" she said. Lotte walked up to her mistress and took the plate from the table.  
The whole hall was silent except for the sounds of horse hooves leaving the villa.

Zita got up from her seat and decided to take a walk along the long hallways of the old building. She had quickly pulled to a stop when she saw in one room the paintings that were commissioned by the painters they hired. All of them had Uccello painted out except for the family portrait which had been redone. Above Uccello's cradle was a white dove holding a white lily indicating that it was a memorial tribute.  
The cradle itself was covered by a thin sheet that Zita could still see its intricate designs and the blanket which she had wrapped him in was folded neatly on top of the small mattress.  
She touched the sheet lightly and heard a baby's laughter echoing in the room.  
Zita sat there in the room gazing at the paintings that were hung there.  
She will wait until the letter returns with the ill-fated answer.

It took Ezio at least five consecutive days instead of three to follow his target all around Tuscany and when he had managed to find the right place—the wide fields—and the right time. He swiftly put an end to him and recited a silent prayer before heading back to the villa.  
The skies were unusually gray that afternoon when he returned to Monteriggioni. Ezio put his hood down as he descended up the stairs to the decaying villa. Zita was there by the marble staircase waiting for him. She smiled at him weakly and opened her arms to him for an embrace. "I missed you so" she said quietly.  
"…I missed you too" Ezio replied.

First she had been distant with him and now she was clinging to him more than ever. Uncle Mario explained that she was having a rough time dealing with the death of her child. He should be glad at least that she didn't end up like Maria.  
Zita wore a blue dinner gown with pink ribbons on her sleeves. Candles were lit all around the room for the couple and their food had been made special for them. They had fish fillet, vegetable salad followed by a roast duckling and sirloin of beef accompanied by creamed carrots and parmentier potatoes.  
It was something out of Ezio's past where before he was a proud nobleman drinking wine with the most beautiful women of Firenze. But here he was now drinking cheap wine with his ever lovely young wife, in a candle-lit room surrounded only by a few servants.  
"You seem more beautiful in the light" Ezio said putting the rim of his wine glass to his lips. "Oh stop joking" Zita said lightly patting his arm. "I'm not, the light gives you such radiance" he knew how to charm his way into a lady and Zita knew that all too well.

When dinner was over the couple went back to their bedroom to retire. Ezio suddenly felt woozy from all the drinks. He heard his wife's laughter and there on the bed could he see her silhouette. She was gently removing her gown for him to see her bare shoulder. Ezio licked his lips and noticed how soft her skin started to look.  
He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and began to trail feather-like kissed on top of her shoulder. This caused Zita to moan a bit and urged him to continue.  
His expert hands started to loosen the cords that held the gown and soon it fell to the floor along with the chemise. Zita stood in front of him in all of her nude glory and she gestured him to come to the bed.  
Ezio removed his clothes in such a rush he practically jumped on his wife. Zita laughed sweetly when her head hit the pillows but was soon stopped by Ezio's lips on hers.  
"I love you…" Zita whispered.  
"I love you too…Sono così spiacente pure non potevo conservare il nostro figlio (I'm so sorry as well I wasn't able to save our son)" Ezio said in a mere whisper.  
Zita placed her hand on his face and smiled. "It's alright my love…" she said and kissed him.

Rushed footsteps scurried along the hallways carrying whatever they needed to bring. Hushed voices echoed amongst the halls and the carriage creaked at the sudden weight.  
Lotte told the servants the instructions and watched them leave Monteriggioni as fast as possible. She sighed then looked back at the villa awaiting her mistress.  
Zita looked at herself in the mirror and looked back at the man sleeping on the bed. It won't be long until the drug's effect wears off.  
She stepped up to him and placed the red envelope on the bedside table. She stared down at him for a long time and then quickly left putting the hood of her cloak up.

"My dear husband Ezio,

Forgive me amore.  
I know when you wake, I will not be there by your side.  
You will search for me but I am no longer there. In the villa. In the town. In Tuscany.  
It has come to my conclusion that I can no longer bear the pain of losing our child and I wish to leave Italy and all my memories behind.  
I came here as a foreigner and because of me I have brought you only troubles and sorrows. It is a fact I now understand.  
When I lie in my bed, my thoughts have always turned to you. You. The only man who has shown to me what not to be afraid anymore.  
You have taught me well my love, you will always be remembered. You have been and always will be my everything for the rest of my life. You who have shown me courage.  
I know it is unfair that after you have given me everything, I gave you this in return. There are just some things that I cannot explain to you and it is the only reason why I left.  
I cannot say much anymore. It will only bring more pain in my heart to tell you, to pour all of my emotions into this small letter.  
I had always made arrogant decisions and look where it got me. I can't even let go of our son. You will always be my husband. My dearly beloved husband.  
Now and Forever. I love you with all of my heart.  
I love you…

Zita"

"Zita! Zita!" Ezio shouted as he ran throughout the halls and checked every room. He rushed down to the stables and saw two of the horses gone.  
She had left him. She left him.  
Ezio returned to their bedroom and tore the letter to shreds, he grabbed the nearest candelabra and smashed the mirror to pieces in anger. The bedroom was in disarray the moment the rooster crowed to signal the coming of morning.  
Zita glanced back at the town on top of the lofty hill from her carriage window. A black hood had covered most of her features thus rendering her anonymous. She bid goodbye to the ruin of a town on that lofty hill. The town where Uccello was born and the same town where he died.  
Now she will begin a new life, in a new country.

* * *

Venice, Italy. Venezia is what it's called in its native tongue. For years this floating city had been the main area of trade and industry. Many families never grew hungry, never grew tired of their business nor their wealth. If they were part of nobility that is.  
Everyone in Venezia had its right and trading with foreigners usually doubles the income by any merchant or seller. The market has its ways with its people.  
The new Doge of Venice, Marco Barbarigo was proud of himself and of course the Templar Knights as well. Because of them he was now ruler of a beautiful city and he has much more wealth than ever before.  
Everyday he ravished himself in riches and jewelries praying that nothing will stand in his way.

But of course, he had to be careful. The famed Assassin is still lurking in Venezia waiting for the moment to kill him.  
Marco shook the thought of it and continued strolling around the palace admiring everything about it. A lowly messenger stepped forth, bowing in front of the Doge, and reported the news of the ships that have arrived at the port.

Good. His new treasures have arrived safely to Venezia and not a single thief has come to take it away. Marco grinned to himself, nothing could ever go wrong.  
"And how is the Marquise?" "Very well sir, but she shows signs of illness" the messenger told him "Good, good. Once she takes her last breath her only treasure shall be mine" the young boy gulped quietly and excused himself to continue his work.  
Delphine Chevalier released a sigh when the winds of Venice brushed against her wrinkled face. "Where is my daughter?" she said to her loyal maid, Antoine "She went to inspect the palazzo first milady, to see if its prepared for your condition" she replied.  
"Ah, such a good girl" Delphine muttered before stepping onto the docks of city.

An eagle perched itself on the edge of a tall bell tower. It tilted its white head to the right as it viewed the city of Venice but when it felt some sort of disturbance coming close it knew it was better to fly away. So in a rush, I flapped its wings and flew into the morning sky.  
A man dressed in dark robes carefully sat on the place where the eagle once rested on. He too gazed at the beautiful corrupted city and prepared for his so called Leap of Faith.  
He lunged forward doing a perfect somersault in mid-air so that he landed on his back in a flower cart. He later emerged, startling a few bystanders and civilians but he continued on hiding his face from any guard that could be lurking around in the alleys.

He then paused when he saw someone oddly familiar in the crowd, a young woman whose hair was covered by a white veil but the way her face shined in the clouded sun made the black-garbed man's heart leap in his chest.  
He was about to utter a name however the woman looked up and kissed a man most likely to be her husband.  
Ezio Auditore da Firenze felt a sudden heavy weight on his shoulders as he turned away from the couple and began his journey into hiding.  
He was the most wanted man now in Italia for killing the Doge of Venice or so they thought. These people, these citizens didn't know a thing about what had really happened within the Ducal Palace. The previous Doge had been poisoned. By his own close friend nonetheless.

And now they've placed a Templar into the most important seat of all of Veneto.  
Ezio cursed himself over and over for having failed such a mission. He would have kicked himself but that would be physically impossible.  
He passed by a few buildings and walked over bridges—unnerving, cunning and ever witty—Ezio cannot hide forever. He had to think of a plan to kill the Templar who is never going to leave the confines of his own palace how to get him out is clearly unattainable.

"Have you heard? A marquise and her daughter have arrived here in Venice!" a young peasant woman said in a hushed whisper but Ezio could clearly hear everything in the conversation.  
"I know. The marquise is an old woman and her daughter looks like a piece of cake. Such a pretty thing but I heard she is half Italian, the other half I do not know."  
"The marquise must have adopted her instead. You could see it in their faces, she's too young to be her first daughter" "Young enough to be her granddaughter they say"  
The two women beside Ezio laughed and went on with their walk. A marquise and her daughter? Well something like that could always get the attention of the Doge and that would mean the mother and daughter would have to build some kind of relationship with him or the other way around.

He was going to seek out this small family and try to think of a plan. Ezio's lips suddenly twitched into a smirk. The marquise had a young daughter. He might as well start off with that.  
Being the womanizer he was, he always finds time to flirt with a Venetian woman. No matter what the status or rank.  
Married, single, engaged, divorced. But after he is done with them, what happens next?

Ezio merely jumped out of the bedroom window and never show his face to that woman again taking him deeper into hiding. He had fallen in love once and he will never fall in love again.  
The Assassin paused when he had spotted someone familiar in the crowd. It was not another dream but just a distant memory. He knew of course who that person was.  
He couldn't believe it! She was here! Of all places!

Ezio hastened his pace, but not quick enough to create much noise. His target kept calm holding a basket full of baby's breath and yellow roses. She head down to one of the busiest districts of Venezia and one of the most prominent since most nobles lived there. The more crowds, the more Ezio was concealed from the suspicious guards and he could easily make his way through. The downside of this, he might lose his target.  
"I know it's you" Ezio muttered under his breath. He slowed down his pace when he noticed his target pausing to look at several things a merchant was selling. He had to hide in a crowd too because he saw the Doge's guards coming.

But his target was slowly moving away. What should he do? Either walk up to the group and get himself killed or distract them. He decided to choose the latter. Ezio threw a couple of smoke bombs to the ground causing everyone around him to close their eyes and cough violently.  
With his Hidden Blade out, he killed all six guards and continues his pursuit.  
But to his dismay, his target was nowhere in sight anymore.

The woman had arrived at the pearly white palazzo. She used the back entrance for the servants and was greeted by several of the staff. Ever strict Antoine was waiting for her by the staircase. "Where have you been?" she demanded at the maid.  
"I went out to buy my mistress some flowers" the girl replied. "Enough! Young mistress said nothing about buying things for her and-!" "Antoine? Que se produit ici? (What's happening here?)" A soft-spoken voice asked.  
Antoine could almost jump in her place if she had the moment but hearing her young mistress' voice surprised her greatly.  
A young girl walked down the staircase in her pale green dressing robe, her hair tied to a loose bun while her eyes gazed down at them with such questioning gaze.

"Antoine" she said softly this time but it had a meaning. Antoine forced a smile and bowed, "Well your maid here. She bought things for you even though you never told her to" she explained. "Well," the young girl said repeating Antoine's tone "I think it's just lovely what my maid has bought for me. I consider it as respect and very kind of her to do so. She is my maid and I shall punish her whether I want to or not. Come" she gestured her personal maid to follow her and leave Antoine behind shocked.

"Lotte" the girl before her spoke. The maid shifted a bit to look at her young mistress in the eyes. "Yes Madame?" Lotte responded. "Make sure you tell me where you are heading before leaving the house. I can't afford to lose a maid like you." The statement was short but sweet. It was truthful and somehow strict at some point.  
Lotte bowed her head after placing the flowers in a suitable vase. "Do you need anything else?" "No. That is all" she replied.

Her maid nodded but before she stepped out of the room she told her mistress of her grandmother's message. "She says you have to wear your best gown. We will be meeting the Doge later" the girl smiled at her only for a brief moment and went back to reading her book. Lotte smiled as well and went off to help the other servants with the cleaning.  
It took at least an hour to prepare the young mistress for such important meeting. She put on her best gown which was dark pink complete with a matching veil for her to wear. A silver necklace adorned her neck while on her ring finger was a rose quartz ring.

Delphine wore a black gown with gold trimmings plus a black veil as well. Their age and their sense of fashion contrasted both personalities.  
A group of guards escorted them to the Ducal Palace making a scene in front of the civilians and causing some young men to turn their heads. They arrived at the palace, greeted by the Doge's several courtiers and then entered the vast drawing room of the Doge.

"He will be here shortly" a guard told them. Delphine nodded her understanding and went to sit on a couch near the fireplace.  
Her daughter still stood there. Looking around the room in sheer curiosity she even picked up a clear glass vase from its table. Delphine smiled at her daughter's interested stare at every object in the room until the doors opened to reveal the Doge himself.

Delphine stood up and curtsied with her daughter following in unison. "Signore Doge" the marquise said. Marco smiled and bent down to kiss the woman's hand.  
"I would like to introduce to you my daughter, Marie Cerise Chevalier she recently turned twenty-three this year" Cerise smiled and felt a little embarrassed that her mother had to introduce her that way to the Doge.

Marco retained his smile. The countess was obviously a pretty young woman indeed. "I would like to ask, even though it's not in my position, why isn't this lovely young lady not married yet?" Marco asked them.  
Delphine forced a chuckle and placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "There are several reasons, first off her husband needs to be a very responsible person. Who knows what will happen if he gets to waste all of the family fortunes?" she said.  
Marco nodded in agreement. "True" he said "Very unfortunate that she had to wait this long for a husband" "Very unfortunate indeed Signore. But I am happy as of now, I would really love to take care of my mother firstly she is all I have" Cerise said.

They were given a privilege to tour the palace and the young girl couldn't help but admire the large fountain situated at the courtyard.  
"She is a very quiet girl isn't she?" Marco said to the marquise beside him "Very. Cerise often keeps to herself and mostly talks to her personal maid Lotte. She never speaks a word to anyone else unless important and she is often times distant" Delphine told him.  
"Distant?" Marco repeated.

"Instead of staying in the château, she stays at the family villa just located a mile away from my home. The villa of course is surrounded by nature and all sorts of animals. It was only used to clear our minds from the court life and the city itself yet my daughter insisted that she stayed there when she was old enough to live alone."  
Cerise paused from her little stroll to look up at the clear blue sky. She could hear pigeons and seagulls outside of the majestic walls but could never see them.  
"This kind of life is too secure don't you think?" Lotte said "…I know…but it can't be helped, he is the Doge after all" Cerise replied.  
Lotte nodded and followed her young mistress back to her mother and Marco. "Well, we must be off. I am holding a dinner party tonight at my home. Would you like to join us Signore?" Delphine asked the man before her.

"Forgive me. But due to certain events a few years back, I cannot leave the palace" Marco told them. "Oh…well. We shall try to visit you again" Cerise said, smiling at him.  
"You will be most welcomed in my humble abode" Marco replied and bent down to kiss Cerise's soft hand.  
After that, the mother and daughter returned to their home to plan out the party.  
The whole palazzo was busy like a beehive designing every inch of the place with ornaments and other things.

Cerise was in the bedroom in her dressing gown choosing what to wear from her closet. Lotte stayed by her side all the time while watching her mistress pick a gown.  
It reminded her a lot of her old mistress. "Lotte what do you think?" Cerise twirled around in a black silk gown with white ribbons on her sleeves. "It's beautiful" Lotte replied understatedly.  
Cerise frowned at her maid's sudden mood. "What's wrong Lotte? You've been so quiet ever since the voyage is there something wrong?" she asked.  
"Yes. Everything is wrong. Madame, I can't put up with this anymore for eight years we have been like this and now you act like you're the Queen of the world. What is the true purpose of this luxury? I've seen too many people die because of wealth!" Lotte exclaimed.

Cerise deepened her frown. Lotte was never the type to express her anger this way and it hurts her very much to hear her that way. "Lotte…I promise you, everything will be fine just trust me" Cerise said but her maid shook her head at her.  
"That's what you said so many years ago. I want my old mistress back" she sobbed a bit, blinking back the tears.  
"Lotte, your old mistress died when she arrived at France. I took you in and sent the other two away because you're trustworthy. So please bear with me a little longer Lotte"  
The young mistress faced the large full body mirror and admired herself and everything else. Lotte excused herself when she heard something odd downstairs. She walked down the staircase and saw the window was open. It can't be. They have just arrived in Venice and now their house was being raided? She closed the door quietly and scoped the room.

However a gloved hand covered her mouth and pulled her close to something. Her screams of help were muffled and she could no longer be heard outside.  
"I won't hurt you. I just need to ask a few simple questions. When I let go you will not scream. Understand?"  
Lotte nodded her head and the perpetrator let go of her. She swiftly turned around hoping to knock out the thief with her fist however he caught her wrists and pinned her against the nearest wall. "I told you not to make a noise!" he hissed.

Lotte gritted her teeth at the man but then paused her struggling when she saw the familiar scar on his lips.  
"Messer Ezio?" Lotte said in disbelief.  
The said man's eyes widened and tightened his grip on her neck, almost cutting off her breathing. "How do you know my name?" he said. "It's me! Lotte! Your wife's former maid!" Lotte said choking on her tears through the loss of air.

Ezio suddenly let go when he heard her mention about his wife. His wife's maid she said.  
"Mi dispiace, all these years of hiding has got me paranoid" Ezio explained. He gave Lotte a moment to regain her composure. "I can see that" she said after taking a sharp intake of breath. "Wait. If you're here…what happened to…" Lotte gazed up at him with worry in her eyes. "She…died when we arrived at France. The plague caught up to her and she eventually passed away in Paris…" she muttered quietly.  
Ezio felt like a dagger had struck his heart. None of the scars he had on his body could ever be equal to the scar he had now. "I'm so sorry Messer…" Lotte said.

"…She made her choice and I made mines and that is to forget about her" Ezio retorted. "You say such words yet you still wear your wedding ring…and you've made her engagement ring as a pendant for a necklace" the maid replied, her eyes gazing at the two things adorning the assassin. "They're heirlooms" Ezio said.  
"I've handled my mistress' jewelries before and I know the difference-" "Enough!" the man shouted. Lotte bit her tongue but nonetheless glared at Ezio. "I'm not here for any of that! I'm here for information; your new mistresses are they associated with the Doge?" Ezio questioned her. "So far no. There hasn't been any signs of interest from any of them however the Doge seems a little interested in my young mistress" Lotte said.

Ezio nodded. Good, the plan is setting its course he just needs to find the right time to slip in and eventually kill the Templar. "What will you do now Messer?" Lotte asked snapping him out of his reverie. "I'm still planning but for now, you will hand me some information about whether or not the Doge and your mistress will have a relationship" Lotte could have punched his face if she had to. "How dare you! My mistress is not some kind of doll you can use for such sick plans!" Ezio raised his hands up in defense "But I promise you! I won't hurt your mistress" "…That's what you said before, eight years ago, and now you're doing it all over again!"

They suddenly heard cluttering upstairs "Lotte? Where are you? I need some help with my braid!" "It's my mistress…go now before she sees you!" Lotte exclaimed pushing Ezio out to the window. The assassin quickly leaped out and dove into the canal below.  
Cerise pushed open the doors to the study room and saw Lotte fixing the books in the shelves. "Oh madame, is there something you need?" her maid asked.  
"I thought I heard someone else in here" Cerise inquired her, walking out to the balcony and gazed down at the flowing water of the canal. By now, Ezio would be swimming towards the Venetian markets. "It was only me madame. Now, about that braid" Cerise turned around instantly forgetting what had troubled her "Ah yes. Please assist me"


	11. Secrecy

Oh merci for the help but sad to say the Venice chapters are almost about to end and I think there won't be enough time for Cerise to speak French anymore :(  
But still, thanks for the help! :D

OMFG! I LOVE YOUR REVIEWS! :D *ish super duper happeh*  
By the way in the next chapter I require everyone to listen to the song **Misguided Ghosts by Paramore**. Understand the lyrics very well amici mio!

* * *

Cerise awoke on her couch the next day. Several things were out of place. One was that plates upon plates of unfinished food and desserts was left on the tables and floors plus bottles of champagne cluttered around as well. Second was that she was still in her party gown and lastly her head ached painfully.  
Her maids began cleaning up the room where she bought the younger guests to enjoy the night away without parental supervision. She groaned and got up to take a cold bath almost stumbling on a fan that was left behind on the floor.

Lotte piled the plates onto the tray and carried them downstairs to the kitchen. The dishwashers groaned loudly when they saw another stack of plates to be washed.  
"You should learn how to control the young mistress Lotte!" "Elle es une douleur dans le bout (She's a pain in the ass!)" one said. "Forgive her monsieur" was all Lotte could say to them and return to her mistress' bedroom to fix the bed where some couple had the privilege to use it last night.

Cerise sat quietly in the ceramic bathtub with gold lining. She dipped her hand into the cool water and glanced outside the window seeing something disappearing from her sight. Something dark and mysterious like a bird. Cerise disregarded it and stood up. Two more maids came and wrapped a towel around her.  
She walked back to her bedroom dripping wet and lied down on her favorite couch.

A knock came on her door and Lotte went up to open it. She saw a servant from the Ducal Palace carrying what seems to be a jewelry case.  
"A gift from the Doge for the young countess" he said. Cerise heard the commotion and stood up wrapping the towel around her. She looked down at the necklace. The chain itself was made of pure gold while the pendant itself was an emerald the size of an egg.

Cerise's lips twitched into a smirk "Take it back to your master, I have no need for gifts being sent by servants alone" she said and returned to her room leaving the servant shocked.  
He would be dead if the Doge knew about this.  
Lotte went off to gather water for the washing when she heard someone whistling loudly. She looked up seeing the black robed assassin steering a gondola towards her.  
"What do you want?" she said.

Ezio handed her an envelope with the crest of Venezia stamped on it. The maid merely looked down upon it. "What is it?" she asked. "Why a letter of course. I thought we could be pen pals to start off with" Ezio said grinning all the way.  
Lotte wiped her hands on her apron and took the letter carefully. "I hope you know what you are doing Messer. My mistress has rejected a gift from the Doge himself this morning" Lotte said even though she did not mean to. Ezio nodded and quietly steered his little boat away from the palazzo.

Cerise at the same time stepped out into her balcony and took in the very first rush of air of Venice. She wore a peach gown with white ruffles and a matching silk choker. A church bell rang to tell the time and birds flew into the clear blue sky.  
She sighed deeply. Everything was absolutely perfect. Cerise sat down on the cushioned chair and opened her book to begin reading.  
Lotte inhaled and sighed deeply, she tucked the letter underneath the floral tea cup and went off to the balcony to serve her mistress. Cerise thanked her and picked up the cup. She was already reading another page when she noticed the letter under the saucer.

She put her tea cup away and carefully picked up the envelope.  
The crest of Venice. "I wonder if the Doge is trying to make up for the humiliation" she smirked and opened the letter.  
The handwriting seemed palpably familiar yet Cerise disregarded it.

_"Dearest Countess,_  
_ Good day to you and to your mother._  
_ I know this epistle may sound a little cliché and maybe you've heard of these words long before you even came here to Italia. But my words to you are honest. Never lying, never cheating._  
_ When I first saw you, I thought my heart had stopped and my world turned upside-down._  
_ No other woman has ever given me such feeling._  
_ As I said before, this may seem cliché to you. But to me it is worth my own soul._  
_ You became my light, my inspiration, your beauty is of the radiance like the sun itself. You are truly a beautiful, young and humble countess and I am a mere commoner who has fallen to your grace. Even though it is foolish of me to say, ask and I shall give you everything your heart seeks out. I am willing to do anything for you._

_Forever yours,_  
_ Aquila"_

Cerise folded the letter with a smile appearing on her face. She felt her cheeks warming when she thought of the mysterious man that sent her this letter. This man probably knew what she was thinking and she was really not the curious type not even a daring one.  
She called her maid and Lotte appeared in front of her. "Tell me, who is the man that sent me this letter?" Cerise questioned her. "No one madame, it was only passed down for me to give to you. The things I only know of are to give the letter to you and if ever you reply I just give your letter to the person who handed it to me" Lotte told her.

Cerise thinned her lips, a habit she has gotten used to, and tucked the letter where she found it. "Well as you said, if ever I reply" she said with a small smile and went back to her room. She lied down on her bed still thinking about the letter and the mystery man who sent it.

Hundreds of people always gathered at Piazza San Marco it would be hard to identify the specific person you are finding amongst the crowds.  
But Ezio had keen eyesight. His past assassinations taught him very well to spot a target from a distance. He stood idly near the bell tower. He had been coming to the same place day after day after day waiting for the countess' reply. He blinked when he saw someone approaching him.

The person wore a dark brown cloak and told Ezio to go to a much quieter place. He complied and the two were now in an alley.  
The person took their hood off to reveal it was Lotte. She had the look of worry and shame written all over her face.  
"My mistress refuses to reply to your letter" Lotte said quietly.  
"And you've told me only now?" Ezio said angrily. "How am I to slip out of the palazzo when I'm one of the most trusted maids there? I can't even get out without asking permission from Antoine!" the maid exclaimed.

Ezio raised his hands up in defeat. "Alright I get it! Mi dispiace" he said. After Lotte calmed right down she looked back at the crowded Piazza. "Now what are you going to do?" she asked. "Isn't it obvious? I'll continue writing letters for her until she finally replies to one or two" Ezio replied. The countess was definitely a tough cookie to break and much harder to court.  
No other woman should be able to resist his charms or his intimate phrases. This was new. And it only brought fueled Ezio's urge to know more about this woman.  
"Follow me. I have a letter for your mistress" Ezio said.

Lotte followed him through the various streets and alleys until it got a little gloomier and darker until they've reached some kind of area where most of the dangerous people lived. "Stay close" Ezio muttered and grabbed her by the elbow. The place they've entered had the foulest stench ever as if someone had just threw their waste on the canals itself. The Assassin had led the maid into a building and told her to sit.  
Lotte quickly did so and saw a small figurine of Venice behind the desk Ezio used.

The man took out the ink, quill and a piece of paper. Then he paused. "Does your mistress love scented paper?" Ezio asked the woman sitting across him.  
"No she dislikes scented papers. She refers plain ones" Lotte said. Ezio muttered a quiet 'Hmm' and stretched the paper before him.  
He began with a simple Dear Countess again and let his mind do the writing for him.

Cerise rode the gondola that they've bought. It had many cushions and silk pillows for her relaxation and comfort. The gondolier himself was a servant. There was even a private minstrel to play music for her while she lied down feeling the warm rays of the sun shining down on her. The minstrel paused to give his mistress a blooming white rose to beautify the mood.  
Cerise suddenly recalled some kind of memory.

A woman running through a field of flowers in a white maternity dress laughing sweetly and the creations surrounding her.  
The countess sighed and then dipped the flower into the water. The gondola came into a halt when she saw someone waiting for her.  
"Madonna" the man said. He looked kind of gentle but his face said otherwise. He was helping her up from the gondola and into the dock with one tug.

Cerise almost stumbled along the way but soon regained her posture. "And may I ask who are you Signore?" she said. The man gave a long bow then stood up straight. "My name is Silvio Barbarigo at your service" "Pleasure. How are you related to the Doge again?" Cerise said while walking back to her palazzo with her servants in tow. "That is a vey…touchy question madonna, I am actually here to tell you that the Doge is furious that you declined his gift. The emerald necklace was made from a foreign country, commissioned only for you" Silvio said.

Cerise turned to place her silk gloves onto the pillow provided by a maid. "Where is Lotte?" she muttered and then faced the Barbarigo. "He has my thanks actually but I prefer the gifts being sent with value and also I prefer the sender to be on my doorstep rather than cowering inside his palace" she said smirking.  
"How dare you insult the Doge you puttana!" the guard beside Silvio exclaimed. However he was stopped by the guards the Chevalier hired to protect their home.  
"Stop you incompetent fool!" Silvio shouted. Not only did that lowly guard spewed verbal abuse at the countess, he had also humiliated him in front of many people.  
He then looked up at the countess who stood at the very top of the stairs and he was only a step away from her.

If only he could force her to beg for forgiveness but he could not because of his status and his rank. He cursed himself quietly and wished that he was powerful ever more.  
"Forgive us madonna, I shall relay your message to the Doge" he said bowing his head.  
"You should. I can't have myself repeating the same things over and over again" Cerise said with a straight face. The Barbarigo bowed then left in a rush.  
"Stubborn, ignorant bitch" he said through clenched teeth.

Cerise huffed and twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "By the way have you seen Lotte anywhere?" she said to the younger maids who all shook their heads at their mistress. The countess sighed and went back upstairs to her bedroom.  
She reclined on her bed bored and glanced over to her bedside table. The letter was still there. It suddenly occurred to Cerise, she was being tempted to read the letter again and she did.  
The words from the man were all too mysterious and likewise cliché like what he had written. Cerise smiled. Folding and unfolding the letter.  
"Cliché you are Aquila not to mention cheesy for my taste" she said and tucked the letter in a drawer.

Lotte lazily opened her eyes and yawned. She stretched her arms but felt something heavy cover her body. She looked down seeing a blanket wrapped around her to keep her warm. Abruptly she jumped from the chair glancing out the window to see it was evening and the stars had emerged.  
"Oh you're awake" she turned her head to the sound of the voice and saw a man standing by the doorway.  
"Messer Ezio told me to escort you back to your palazzo when you've woken up" he said. Lotte looked at him from his head till toe. He seemed a bit disgruntled seeing that his clothes and hair was unkempt for what seems to be a long time.

But what Lotte noticed was that the man had a feature she couldn't really put in her head. "So are you ready to go?" he asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.  
"Si. Grazie for the blanket" Lotte replied. "You can speak Italian?" the man said in disbelief. "I was taught Italian by the teachers my old mistress hired so I wouldn't get confused with the language" she said and then folded the blanket and placed it back on the chair.  
"I'm Ugo by the way"  
"…Lotte"  
The two walked back to the palazzo quiet and never speaking to one another. It seems that they were too shy to speak to each other. When they reached the gates, Ugo handed the letter to Lotte who took it gently and felt her fingers brush against his.  
She blushed madly. She thanked him quietly and hurried inside. Her co-workers had been so worried where she had gone and she was immediately called by Antoine.  
Lotte hid the letter in her apron as she approached the housekeeper. "You wanted to see me?" she said not even thinking to add 'madame' at the last part. Antoine was furious.  
She was thinking of the possible ways of punishing her for such act and maybe lock her up in the cellar for a few good days.

Before she could even lift her hand at Lotte a soft voice came. "Lotte" Cerise arrived yet in time once more. She was wearing a dyed nightgown and a pale green robe which was her favorite. "Where have you been all day? You've got the house all worried" she said.  
"Forgive me madame but I was out…looking for an eagle" Lotte replied slightly pulling the envelope out of her apron. Cerise saw, surprised that the man had the courage to come up with another letter. She dismissed Antoine and the rest of the maids.

"Come upstairs. We have much to discuss" Cerise told her and climbed up the staircase.  
In her room, everything was somewhat in disorder. Many shoes were out of their places and gowns were thrown out of their closets.  
Cerise had nothing to do but wear all of her newly bought dresses and gowns to display in front of her maids. The countess sat down on her bed and put her hand out. Lotte handed the letter to her and then excused herself to get her mistress evening tea and biscuits.

When the doors were closed Cerise opened the letter anxiously, biting her lip at the thought of provocative words just to get her attention but instead all she got was some kind of love letter. She sighed and chose not to read it. Cerise was about to put the letter back in the envelope when she felt something inside.  
It was a cornflower. Cerise remembered the laughing woman again in that field of flowers. She moved to pick up the letter from her bed and began reading.

"_…I can never explain to you why such a feeling has overcome me. It is unstoppable as it is dangerous. How many years I've spent, searching for the one who could truly hold my heart in their delicate hands. Love is something I can or cannot regret. Love has its way with us._  
_ When I was a young boy, I would satisfy myself from one woman to another but when I had found out I couldn't satisfy myself any longer I yearned to travel the world in search of love and look where it got me. _  
_ I became a lowly citizen here in Venezia with nothing but my books, my bed and my thoughts of you. You. The one who had caught me in such a daze I do not know when this spell of yours will ever end. _  
_ I wish that you would give me a chance. That I would love you to your heart's content. Love me for as long as you wish and rid of me if you tire of me. _  
_ It is alright with me. At least I had learned to love a woman like you. A woman who finally has the power to hold my heart…_"

Cerise gradually folded the letter and gazed up at the stars from her balcony.  
She felt something thumping loudly in her chest. Was it her heart beating madly for this stranger? No. She shook her head and went back to her room. Her tea was left and was now cold, her biscuits long forgotten. She took off her robes and crawled into bed.  
Cerise stared out into darkness and then closed her eyes thinking of the man who had sent her these letters.  
The following week, Lotte returned to the hideout and surprisingly with a teal envelope.  
Ezio grinned and immediately took the letter from her hands. He hurriedly opened it like it was some kind of Christmas present.

"_Dearest Aquila,_

_I admire your courage. _  
_ You have the gut to court me through letters. _  
_ It is something I didn't expect when I first arrived here in Venice. Very noble of you Italians. Your last letter was poetic as well as beautiful. _  
_ But honestly, why do you prefer this way? Why can't you show yourself to me?_  
_ You can tell by the way I decline gifts of the Doge, I hate to receive gifts from anonymous senders. You might never know what they might contain. _  
_ As for the cornflower. Thank you, it's rare to find such a thing in a water-filled city such as this. Also I would like to clarify to you that love knows no boundaries. _  
_ If you are seeking the woman who will truly love you then you have the wrong person. I fell in love once. I had married once upon a time. But he died along with my heart._  
_ So if you are to reply a letter to me then make sure to make it short and simple. I dislike how you use such ill-fitting words to describe your life and how you want to give your love to me._  
_ Yes I am that harsh and I am not afraid to show it either._  
_ You will eventually be like the Doge. I will decline you if you make one single mistake about me._

_Truly yours, _  
_ Cerise_"

Ezio whistled loudly at the very end. He folded the letter and tucked it into his shirt. Lotte then waited for him as he wrote another letter for the young, stubborn countess.  
Their letter sending had gone about for months.  
Lotte grew used to it. She reminded herself over and over that everything was for her mistress and Ugo was starting to show signs of discomfort whenever she was around in the Thief Guild headquarters when she learned of it.

Cerise too grew accustomed to her new life in Venice. Always drinking, always gambling. She became friends with two noblewomen named Adalina and Celia whose fathers were great lawyers. She enjoyed her life. Never regretting anything else.

It was a typical Saturday night, Cerise ate quietly while reading yet another letter from her mysterious suitor.  
She learned that he used to live his life in luxury. He once had a loving family. He used to be married as well. Cerise raised her eyebrows at that.  
His wife was only fourteen years old when he had married her and bore him a son when she was fifteen however the plague had caught to them and they both died, three months apart.  
Cerise had felt her heart sank deep into her.

His son, as the letter said, was a beautiful boy who had his mother's hair and his eyes. He thought that one day he would be just like him. Always chasing after girls and girls chasing after him. But his dreams had been shattered.  
The boy died in his crib three months after he was born. Because his wife couldn't cope up with the loss, she had gotten the illness and died after.  
He had lost two most important things in his life. Cerise couldn't help but found herself crying to the letter. She wiped her cheek dry and then folded it.

It was Sunday the next day. Time to head to church. Cerise wore a white gown with blue embroidery on the bodice with sapphires on the hem. Lotte wore a similar white gown but it had no other design at all.  
When they reached the nearest church, Lotte diverted her attention to a thief who was coming up to her. "He is in the confessions. Tell her to go to her confession" he said and idly walked away.  
The confession box was what came into Lotte's head.

Delphine and her maid went ahead while Cerise and Lotte were left behind. She turned to her maid a little ticked.  
"We'll miss out the mass, what is it?" Cerise asked.  
"Go to your confessions" Lotte said relaying the message.  
"What?" Cerise blinked in confusion. "Go to your confessions…there's someone waiting for you there" Lotte whispered and walked away.

The countess glanced over to the confession both and then walked into it. She sat uncomfortably in the seat and looked around. It smelled like sweat in there.  
Suddenly she heard something from the other side. "Hello? Is someone there?" she said.  
"Not for long though, the real priest will come in a few minutes" a low voice told her. Cerise narrowed her eyes and thought of what to say next.  
"Is that you Aquila?" she said. The low voice chuckled and replied with a yes. Cerise could have leaped for joy just like her heart but she didn't, she remained calm and stern.  
"Well this is an awful place for you to pick" she sighed opening her fan to cool herself. "It is the only place where I can talk to you like this" Aquila said.  
"Oh and give me a reason why we're even talking like this like we're secret lovers?" Cerise said almost raising her voice a bit. "…It's because we are. You see, I've been in hiding for quite a long time and if I show my face in public I will surely get caught."

Cerise paused from fanning. "You're…a criminal aren't you?" "But I am innocent. They falsely accused me of murder-" "How am I to believe that you are to be trusted? I've trust so many people in my life before and all I receive was nothing in return" Cerise said and the booth became silent.  
"…I love you"  
"Is that all you can say to me? That you love me? That you can't even show your own face to prove your love for me?" Cerise said to the point where she nearly sobbed.  
Memories started flooding her head. Love. Warmth. Family. Marriage. All of these had been ripped apart from her and were thrown away.  
Which is why she was so distant, so strict on everything, why she always smiled at things that might bring her down.

"One day you will see me. But for now all I can do is to watch you from afar and you could only feel my presence. Forgive me."  
"And when will that day be?" Cerise said however it suddenly became too quiet. "Aquila?" she heard the small window open and she saw an elderly priest instead.  
"Yes my child?" he said. "Nothing Father. I'm sorry to have disturbed you" Cerise stepped out of the booth and was surprised to see a pinkish-white rose on the floor just in front of her.  
She picked it up and looked around in the church. He couldn't have gone far it was a vast place and hiding was clearly impossible. As if he was a ghost lurking in the dark.

"Madame" Lotte walked in on Cerise one day. The countess was sitting in front of her vanity table picking out a hairstyle to wear for today.  
"Yes Lotte?" Cerise said without even looking away from her reflection. "You are being called by the Doge. He needs to tell you something important" the maid told her. She started to worry. Before, guards had tried to take away her other mistress but they returned her eventually. Lotte started to recall such memories and gradually looked down on the floor.  
"I wasn't expecting that he would conclude this early" Cerise said with a smirk. She put on a burnt orange gown and a matching veil. Guards from the palace had come to escort her causing a scene from the civilians.

Lotte walked by her mistress' side dutifully as she always was. Her mistress showed no emotion whatsoever as they reached the huge palace doors. A guard took Lotte by the upper arm while two others took Cerise to the throne room. Just like she feared. They were taking her mistress away.  
Once they've stepped inside the room the guards released Cerise and then exited rather quickly. Marco Barbarigo stared at the young girl before him. Never has he been publicly humiliated before. The expensive jewelries he had bought and sent for her were all stacked up in a storage room gathering dust.

He stood up from his throne and approached her. Cerise stared at him roughly. She continued to mask her expressions from him and stood there with a straight face.  
"Why do you reject my honorable gifts young countess?" Marco said circling her like a vulture. "I refuse such things Signore. I prefer if it is you who comes to my doorstep. I do not like a coward" Cerise replied repeating the same words she used on Silvio.

"Me? A coward?" the Doge let out a chuckle. "My dear I am the most powerful man of all in Venezia, why should I be scared of a woman like you?" he said. "I never said you should cower because of me. What is it that makes you stay in your palace and not show your face to your people? You ARE of course the most powerful man in all of Venezia" Cerise said.  
She was turning the tables on him and Marco disliked that. This one was tough and getting her to come to his side wasn't going to be easy.

"I fear that there is someone after me my dear" Marco said pleasantly. "There is always someone after a high-ranking person like you. Even we noblemen are vulnerable to death" Cerise replied, turning to look at the old man.

They gazed at each other for a while. A predator to its prey. But who to say is the attacker between the two?  
"Tell me," Cerise spoke "Why do you insist on sending me gifts?" she said. Marco smiled under his beard, the young countess however knew of the answer. "Is there something in me that you are interested Signore?" she asked.

Of course, Marco now smirked. His eyes wandered from her pretty face to her small amount of cleavage present. "Why yes Signorina, I actually do" he said darkly.  
Cerise walked out of the throne room with her chin up and her eyes darker than usual. Lotte ran up to her mistress and embraced her, thanking God that she was safe.  
But then her mistress pushed her off. "Get off of me" she said. "Madame," Lotte said wiping her dry tears "What did the Doge want?" she asked.

Cerise paused at the courtyard. The same spot where she heard the birds of Venice. She sighed and looked back at her maid. "He wants to propose to me…On the night of Carnevale…He will propose to me in front of the people of Venezia…" Cerise said and began walking away from the palace with the thoughts of her mother and her mysterious suitor on her mind.


	12. Reunite

Yes! I will do a collab with you! :D  
Just send me your ideas at my e-mail (which is present in my profile) and we'll see how it will go! ;)

OMG I am in a forbidden love with Cesare Borgia ***grabs gun and shoots herself***  
Oh why the drama? Borgia's son is fiiiiiiiiiiiiiine! xD and I'd trample that mysterious woman beside him with a horse (angry face)

By the way I have two surprises for this chappie:

1) **BABY CESARE BORGIA! :D**

2)** FUCKING SMUT! **

* * *

Propose. Engagement.  
Ezio sat down on his couch staring at the letter the countess had sent him earlier that morning. Lotte stood by watching the Assassin staring intently at the document in his hands.  
"This can't be" Ezio said softly "It's happening too quickly…" he leaned back against his seat letting the letter fall onto the floor.

The maid in front of him picked up the paper. She gazed down at the man with a gloomy face. She has never seen him act like this; maybe this is what he had looked like when his late wife had left him. It was a terrible memory replaying in a different time and with a different person. "Messer Ezio…" Lotte spoke quietly "…Are you in love with my mistress?"  
Ezio looked up at her. He glared with his eyes hinting anger yet she found something else in them. "Ridiculous. Why should I even fall in love with a stubborn woman like her? You said it yourself once, I am merely going to use her to bring me closer to the Doge! I don't care if she marries him just as long as I-" Ezio suddenly paused, fist in the air and trembling.

Lotte frowned. "You do love her don't you?" she said.  
Ezio sighed frustrated the fact that he had nothing to say of the matter. "I think…my mistress has grown to love you too" "How do you even know she does?" the other questioned her.  
"I understand my mistress more than any other person in the world. I know when she is in love or when she is sad. You see my mistress, she once married a young nobleman…she was only married to him because of an agreement. She did her best to please him to no end and when she was successful he passed away unexpectedly. Then she vowed never to marry again.  
Because…I think love has betrayed her and wounded her heart too deeply. She still can't get over him until now…"

Ezio stood from his couch and paced about in the room.  
"Please Messer…bring my mistress back…You're the only one who can…" Lotte whispered and bowed her head.

Cerise gazed at her reflection in front of the mirror.  
She traced a hand down her face to her right shoulder. Pain, sadness and grief.  
Earlier that day she had asked a dressmaker to make her a gown that could outshine the other gowns in the Carnevale.

A mask too is also important. You can't go around the Carnevale without a mask. In fact, Delphine did commission a mask made only for her and she was excited at the thought of it.  
She glanced up from her vanity table and saw the cornflower placed in a tiny glass jar and below it was the recent letter given to her.  
Cerise took the letter again and read it. She gazed back up at her reflection and wondered about what makes her so wanted by men.

She was small but healthy. Nevertheless there were those men who were merely after for the family fortune and of her treasure. Cerise sighed and put the letter down. Lotte was nowhere to be seen in the house yet again. Probably out to date that Ugo she spoke of yesterday.

Lotte glanced up from the street to see the strings of lanterns being placed all around Venice. The celebration of the Carnevale was coming and she had nothing to wear, maybe another gown provided by her mistress. She placed her hands on her lap while she waited for Ezio to come up with a plan.  
Ugo approached her and noticed the look on her face. "Buon giorno Lotte. You seem a bit depressed" he said.

"Oh Ugo" she said surprised "Si. A bit" Ugo sat down beside her on the stairs that led to a dock. They heard the laughter of children echoing off the walls and the sound of water crashing against the walls.  
"Is it about your mistress?" Ugo asked. "Mostly about my mistress" Lotte replied. They kept quiet for a while before Ugo spoke up again "And the least?" Lotte chuckled. A first for Ugo.  
"I have no mask to wear, my mistress will probably give me a gown to wear but a mask is fairly impossible and besides I'm not allowed to leave the house starting next week" she said.

Ugo nodded his head until they heard the footsteps coming. They both looked back seeing Ezio standing behind them. "Um, did I disturb something intimate?" he asked them.  
Lotte blushed madly and quickly stood up. "Have you come up with a plan yet?" she said. Eager to know what the Assassin had thought of.  
"I will see her. At the evening of Carnevale and if I am successful I will rescue her from the Doge. Kill the Doge and then maybe elope with her-" Ezio was cut-off in mid-sentence when Lotte slapped him across the face.  
"I've told you a million times! You _dummer Italianischer stichel! _(Stupid Italian prick!) My mistress is not some sort of doll you can use!" she exclaimed and Ezio had to restrain her by grabbing both her wrists.  
"Ugo! Bring her back to the palazzo. I promise you Lotte, I won't let them hurt your mistress" he said. "You've said the same thing to Zita but what happened?" she said in a rage and Ugo carried her away from him. "I can walk on my own feet stronzo!" Lotte said pushing the thief off her and walked away in a fit. "Geez, women" Ezio muttered but he still felt something tug at his heart when she had shouted his late wife's name at him.  
"…I promise she won't be like Zita…"

Cerise shifted her eyes from the long table. Guests of nobility and rank sat eating and drinking to their heart's content. She was the only one who wore a light pink gown with dark pink ribbons. Her hair was tied up to a bun using floral hair ornaments to keep it in place. Around her neck was her ninety-five carat pink topaz and gold necklace which was the envy of two noblewomen down the table.  
She smiled when a nobleman looked at her much to the displeasure of Marco Barbarigo.

"Are you enjoying your dinner?" the Doge asked her in a hushed tone. "Why yes thank you Signore" Cerise replied and ate her meal. So much food was placed on the table. Different cuisines and different tastes clashed in each mouth and wines were passed around. Gossips and stories echoed in the halls and Cerise just bit her lip.  
"Oh dear, she looks so pretty" one woman whispered to the other "Of course. She's like a little cake" her friend replied. "I just wonder how long she'll last"

Marco's wife wasn't present in the dinner. That was not surprising. Seeing that he must of found a way to get rid of her before the Carnevale. Cerise again bit her lip and thought of what would happen if she failed to say yes to the Doge. She would surely be punished and be probably killed. She shook her head and gazed at her mother whose face had become pale. She was becoming weak and everyone in the table noticed her fragility.

While they, she and the Doge, were speaking they suddenly heard a choking sound. Cerise turned her head and saw that her mother was coughing out blood on her handkerchief. "Mother!" She exclaimed getting up from her chair quickly. Antoine came to aid her mistress.  
"What's happening?" Cerise asked frantically "Madame!" Antoine shouted. The guards had went off to call a doctor but it was too late.  
"Cerise" Delphine croaked "Oui mère? (Yes mother?)" "…Never forget who you really are…" she said and then closed her eyes. "Mère!" Cerise sobbed then whimpered. The Doge patted her shoulder and she instantly turned to him for comfort.  
Marco Barbarigo smirked inwardly, his plan was accomplished.

Days after her mother's burial, Cerise sat on her couch in her mourning gown. White flowers adorned every part of the palazzo and the smell of candles still lingered in the room.  
Lotte stood there in her mourning gown as well. She was there to support her mistress through this very rough time.  
"Eight years…shattered. Why do things love to come back and break me again all over?" Cerise said. No tears came out since the funeral and her voice sound croaked.

"Nevertheless, I have to continue what my mother has left me" she stood up from her place and went to walk down the once noisy halls and entered her mother's office.  
Marco rejoiced quietly in his room. The marquise was now dead and has left two most important things behind. Firstly, her only daughter and lastly, the family fortune. He had a large grin on his face all throughout.  
He received news form his informants that the countess had been carrying a chest made of pure ivory that was locked and a key was always kept close to her at all times.  
"Now I wonder what she keeps in that little box?" the Doge said smirking.

The sun rose. The markets have opened and people crowded the streets again. Lotte and a few maids came to check on their mistress and saw that she fell asleep on the desk with papers everywhere. They began cleaning up the place and put everything back in its original state. A maid gazed down at the paper that was crumpled in her mistress' fist.  
She carefully took it out and read it. She looked back at the others and tucked the paper in her apron's pocket "Can I be excused for a while? I have to go help the others prepare Madame Cerise's breakfast" she said to Lotte. Now that Cerise was the new owner of this house, Lotte rose from the ranks and became the Head of staff. Lotte blinked then allowed her. The maid bowed her head and stepped out of the study room. Cerise groaned and eventually woke up; she massaged her temple and saw the maids cleaning up the place.

She looked down at the papers and told Lotte to place them in one of the drawers where important documents are placed. The maid nodded gently taking the papers from her mistress and put them in the designated drawer.  
Antoine came in and bowed at her new mistress. "The dressmaker has arrived with your Carnevale gown and your mask from the mask-makers" she announced. Cerise looked up seeing the most beautiful black gown she has ever seen. The sleeves were made of pure black lace and on the bodice were stunning onyx jewels. Her mask however was such a contrast that it could literally outshine the other masks.

It was a Bauta, covering the whole face, stunning diamonds were encrested all over it except for the other half which was covered with alexandrite ranging from aquamarine to a dark purple. Cerise smiled. The first smile she displayed after her mother's death.  
"Thank you Delphine…thank you" she said as she took the mask from its box.

Later that evening, Cerise was invited to a garden party by her friend Celia. She required all of the girls to wear a gown ranging from pink to white.  
The countess chose to wear a white gown she found in one of her old trunks. It had rose designs all over it. It was pretty and it looked like it was for her.

When she arrived at the party, she was surprised to see the males were wearing red and black. While walking around the hallways of the large palazzo she gazed out into the moon in the ink black night sky. She heard something and saw a pair of feet under the red velvet curtains.  
Cerise smiled and quietly walked towards it. "I see you're not very good in hiding there little one" she said and heard a gasp.

She laughed sweetly. "It's okay I don't bite" she pushed the curtain aside to see a boy maybe at the age of ten. He had fair skin, brown eyes and black hair. "You're such a handsome boy, why are you hiding behind there?" "…I was hiding from you"  
Cerise held back a chuckle "And why do you hide from me? Surely I'm not that ugly" she said. "No you're not señora!" the boy said. She had noted that the boy was a foreigner, a Spanish at least. "I hid because you would have seen my face when I saw you" he said blushing a bit.

The woman before him smiled and smoothed back his hair. Now that she noticed, he was the only child she has seen in a party like this.  
"What is your name little one?" she asked him.  
"Cesare Borgia" he replied sweetly.

Cerise grinned this time. "Well Cesare do you know what happens if I am interested in someone like you?" she said sitting down on the floor with the boy. "No, what?" Cerise removed one of her ruby rings and handed it to him.  
"I give them this as a token of my gratitude" Cesare grinned wider than her. "Gracias señora! I've never seen such shiny thing!" he exclaimed raising the blood red jewelry to the level of his eye. "Just promise me you'll take care of it" Cerise told him "I promise" Cesare nodded and continued to wonder at the ring in his hand.

A woman suddenly appeared from the other hallway followed by a boy older than Cesare and a young girl. "Cesare! Where have you been I was looking all over for you!" the woman exclaimed. "I'm sorry Mama" Cesare replied getting up from the floor.  
The woman sighed and looked down at Cerise, "Oh Contessa! Forgive me if my son has brought you trouble" Cerise replied with a reassuring smile "Actually he kept me company. He is a nice boy" she said.  
She watched them leave and Cesare looked back at her. Cerise placed a finger on her lips telling him to keep her gift a secret. The boy nodded and waved goodbye to her.  
After which, Cerise stood up to enjoy the rest of the evening.

Cesare stared down at the ring in his hands with a smiling face. His older brother Giovanni looked at him curiously. "What is that?" he asked. The young boy immediately closed his hand and looked up at his brother. "It's nothing" Cesare replied.  
They were on their way back home and then they will prepare to leave for Rome and continue their studies.  
"Did that horrid lady give you something?" Giovanni teased his little brother. Cesare at the same time snapped "She's not a horrid lady!" he said and looked back down at the ring. "She's like a child… but there's something else in her…"

Cerise stood at the balcony of her palazzo. The Carnevale was just a day away. Her engagement to the Doge was just a day away. She sighed and tightened the belt of her robe.  
Aquila still did not come up with a letter and she was worried something must have happened to him. Cerise grunted and returned to her bedroom. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and she hurried to open it. Lotte stepped inside with an envelope in hand.

Her mistress smiled happily and eagerly opened the letter. She read the words carefully then she understood it was an instruction.  
"He'll be there in the Carnevale. He will take me away from the Doge…Lotte" she turned to her maid. "What should I do? What if everything was a lie?" she said.  
Lotte shook her head "No madonna, everything is true about everything. He will make you the happiest woman and I promise you, you will not be hurt the second time" she said.

"Thank you…oh! I almost forgot!" Cerise rushed to the closet and pulled out what seems to be a white gown tight around the arms but nonetheless beautiful. "It's you're-" "My eighteenth birthday gown I know, now I'm giving it to you because you need it more than I do" Cerise said and handed the gown over to her.  
The maid smiled and embraced her mistress in thanks.

Her secret lover had instructed her to wait for him at the Rialto Bridge. He will notify it is him when he says 'Al amore mio' into her ear. But how will he find her? Lotte had already told Ezio what her mask was so he can easily find her.

She grinned sheepishly and excused herself.  
Cerise folded the letter confused but the thought of running away with a mysterious man seemed like a better idea rather than marrying an old man like the Doge.  
She was young, chivalrous in her own right and also adventurous. What has destiny in store for them?

Ezio sighed and stared at his reflection in the broken mirror. Rosa stood behind him with a scowl on her face. "And what if she is already on their side?" she asked. "I assure you she is not" Ezio retorted. Rose scoffed. She had learned that Ezio had been sending love letters to a little foreigner who has intimate connections with the Doge.  
"Ezio I don't trust her at all! I don't care even if she has much information about the Doge! What if she tricks you and sends you to your death?" she said.  
Ezio turned around putting on his Carnevale mask and his signature smirk "Well at least I died knowing I had fallen for someone" he said and left the hideout.

Fireworks exploded in the sky and loud music played everywhere. Everyone had a smiling face behind their masks but others couldn't be seen.  
Lotte bit her lip as she stepped out of her room wearing the gown. She didn't have a mask to wear. She was about to ask her mistress if she could stay home when she caught sight of a lone mask on a table and a rose beside it. The mask had no design whatsoever but just a simple mask to cover the upper part of her face. It was hauntingly beautiful.

Lotte smiled and put on the mask. Once she stepped up to her mistress Cerise grinned at her. "Beautiful mask" she said behind her own "Grazie" Lotte replied.  
The two went off to the Rialto Bridge. People turned their heads at them while others were awed by their attire. Lotte paused when she heard a whistle. She gazed up seeing Ugo wearing his own mask. It was black, simple just like hers.

She smiled at him and thanked him quietly. Cerise looked back seeing that Lotte was nowhere to be seen. The bridge was just there and her maid wasn't there. She sighed deeply and walked up to the viaduct. Cerise stood there while other people passed by in a blur of colors laughing and rejoicing to the music, fireworks and drinks.  
She didn't even notice the figure approaching her. Cerise looked up at the pink fireworks display when a hand landed on her shoulder "Al amore mio" the girl shuddered at the voice.

It sounded vaguely familiar yet it sent shivers down her spine. She turned around quickly seeing a man wearing a blue mask to conceal his face.  
"Aquila?" she said. Her voice a bit muffled behind her mask. The man nodded. Cerise sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck.  
His hand reached up to touch her mask, remove it and finally kiss her. But they were interrupted by the Doge's guards.

"Cerise Chevalier, you are ordered to come with us to the Doge!" one guard shouted then added "And if you refuse, this girl's life shall be taken" a guard held Lotte captive her hair tousled and her face spotted with bruises.  
"Lotte!" Cerise exclaimed.  
"No madame! Don't fall for their trick!" Lotte shouted and she was silenced by a rough slap to the cheek.

Ezio grunted and felt the countess' grip on his arm. "Please…he wants me not you" she said stepping forward to surrender herself to them. The guards grabbed her roughly by the arms and carried her away.  
"No!" Ezio shouted and tried to attack them however he was stopped by a dagger thrust into his stomach. Cerise screamed at the horror but her screams were muffled by her mask.  
"Take him with us. The Doge is after him too" one guard told the other.

They took them captive and led them to a building. Cerise held her head up high like the countess she was as she entered an immensely large room lit by thousands of candles.  
"I am so glad for you to join us Contessa" Marco Barbarigo emerged from the west hallway. "And the most wanted man of Venezia as well-" "Why are you doing this? What good is it going to bring you if I marry you bastardo?" Cerise exclaimed cutting off the Doge's sentence.

Marco laughed. He loved feisty women. "Oh nothing in particular but wealth and power. But that's not the case…you are of course are an adopted child of the marquise"  
Cerise stopped struggling with her binds and looked at the man with livid eyes."However since her accidental death all of her fortunes and her title go to you…Also I am curious about the treasures that you keep. Shall we take a look?"

The countess shouted profanities when she saw one of her maids walking up to them carrying a box made of pure ivory.  
"You bitch! My mother trusted you! We trusted you!" Cerise shouted. Marco placed the chest on a table near them and ordered a servant to open its lock. The servant did so quickly and the lock fell to the floor with a loud thud.

Cerise tried to break free from their grasp and found it useless. Marco lifted the cover of the ivory chest but soon his face had the expression of shock.  
"What joke is this? There is no treasure in it!" he exclaimed which surprised his men and the other people present.  
Cerise began to whimper and bow her head in grief. The Doge pulled out what seems to be a blue blanket made for children, a black feather and a gold ring.  
The things were scattered upon the floor and Marco took out a locket that could fit in the palm of his hand in it was a sketch of sleeping child and that's when Cerise cried aloud.

"Please! Leave Uccello's things alone!" she exclaimed.

Ezio looked up from his place on the floor and into the Countess's eyes. The Doge approached her and removed the mask.  
"What is the meaning of this! Tell me or I'll have your head in a platter!" Marco shouted. The girl before him whimpered "The treasures you heard of are not the treasures of wealth and power but the treasures a mother will always keep close to her heart…" Marco gritted his teeth and smacked the countess a few times until she fell to the floor crying.

Ezio stared at her face. It was…it was… "Zita?" he spoke softly then he glanced up at Lotte who too whimpered and bowed her head in forgiveness.  
"Useless" Marco spat and pulled out a sword. "Such a pretty face but totally useless" he said and raised the sword at her but then he heard loud grunts and his men that held the Assassin fell to the floor bleeding.  
Ezio attacked the other guards coming at him and faced Marco. The Doge grunted and quickly picked up the whimpering girl "Come forth Ezio Auditore and I shall kill the Countess" he said. The girl, Zita or Cerise, gazed up into his eyes half-surprised.

The Assassin continued to frown. Then slowly he took a step back and turned away.  
"E-Ezio…" Cerise…Zita whimpered tears running down her face. Once the Doge let her go, she landed on the floor grunting and that's when Ezio turned around aiming his pistol at the Doge.  
With just one gunshot the powerful man of Venezia lay dead bleeding on the floor.

"Madonna!" Lotte shouted and helped her mistress up. Ezio appeared by their side and carried Zita in his arms.  
She wrapped her arms around him crying and buried her face into his shoulder. They used the quickest paths to run through Venezia without being seen by the guards.  
"Ezio…" she whispered.  
"Shut up" Ezio replied sternly until they reached a palazzo Thieves turned their heads to the people coming in, curious and interested at the same time. "Lotte!" Ugo leaped from the highest ledge and landed in front of the maid. Lotte cried and wrapped her arms around the said thief leaving Ezio to bring the countess to a room.

He threw Zita to the bed after kicking the door close. The girl gazed up at him, fear visible in her eyes.  
"Why did you lie to me?" he shouted at her. "Why did you run away from me? Why did you have to fake your death just so can escape me?" Ezio exclaimed holding Zita by her shoulders. At the same time Zita pushed him off her.

"I can't…I can't explain Ezio!" "That's what you always say! You can't explain everything you do! Eight years! Eight fucking years!" Ezio bellowed.  
"**IT'S BECAUSE I CAN'T LET GO OF OUR SON!**" Zita finally snapped. The only thing they heard was Zita's labored gasps.  
"During those years…I thought that if I leave I would forget our son's death but I found out I couldn't! And the more I thought of you the more I thought of Uccello!"  
She turned away from Ezio and paced about in the room placing a hand on her forehead trying to think of something to calm her down. Hot tears ran down her face and her cheeks were flushed.

"No matter how I look at it…I can't let him go Ezio…A new life in Paris was supposed to be the solution…but it still brought me back to Italy…I want to run away as far as possible…away from those horrible memories"  
She sat down on the bed her back facing Ezio. She was suddenly pulled into a fierce kiss so fierce that it almost hurts. Zita whimpered into Ezio's mouth while the Assassin began ripping off her bodice. "You say you want to forget what has happened? You're not the only one who wants to forget the past!" Ezio said forcing himself upon the girl.  
She gasped and tried to push him away but found herself eager to hold him. To embrace him and kiss him like she did before.

"I'll make you forget…everything…in my own way…" Ezio whispered and he gradually slipped Zita out of her gown and chemise. The places he touched her were new. Their hands entwined as they made love over and over again.  
"Ezio…" Zita sighed as the man's hips joined with hers. Her breathing quickened with every pace and he only grunted or groaned. "Ezio" she said again and bit her lip.  
Ezio's lips were burning over hers to silence all of her groans of pleasure. How long has it been since he held a woman eagerly such as this? Eight years, he thought. Eight years since he made passionate love like this.

Zita continued to groan in every thrust and tears rolled down her face from too much pleasure. Only he could do this. Ezio Auditore. Her lover, her husband.  
"Ezio!" she groaned a bit louder this time and she held on to him tighter. "Say it" Ezio ordered huskily, Zita managed to look at him through half-lidded eyes and tried to ask him but his quickened pace made it almost too impossible for her to speak.

"Say the words you once said to me" Ezio said nibbling on her ear and gave it the occasional lash of his tongue. Zita managed to produce a whimper in her throat until she cried out _"Voglio più! Lo ho bisogno prego il amore mio!_ (I want more! Please I need you my love!)" Ezio held her hips in an almost bruising way and hit her in that spot she had been craving for.  
Zita groaned aloud. Neither cared anymore. They were back in each other's arms. Reunited. Nothing else existed when they are together because love always has its ways to bring destined ones back together.

Morning came on Venezia and Zita awoke with Ezio beneath her. She sighed deeply, her warm breath tickling his skin. Ezio opened his eyes and stared into his wife's deep amber ones. He smiled and turned to his side taking Zita with him.  
Zita lightly shrieked at the sudden movement but quieted down after Ezio snuggled against her bare chest. He too sighed and his own breath tickled her skin.  
"Wait, does this mean we will get married again?" Ezio said looking up at the girl. Zita chuckled sweetly and planted a soft kiss on his lips. "Ezio…" she said in that soft-spoken voice and smiled.

"We already are"


	13. Direct

Ugh! Tell me if this is a little bit rushed...

Because I like sat in front of the computer the whole day not knowing what to do. The only thing in my mind is that there were people anxious to read the next chapter of my story. So I'm doing my best to please you because if you're happy then I'm happy! :D

Okay more trivia facts so you wouldn't be confused.

Zita was born in 1462, thus making her the eldest of all Galeazzo's children. Caterina being second since she was born in 1463 and their younger brother Gian Galeazzo Sforza, the Duke of Milan after their father, was born on 1469.

During her time in France, Zita learned how to hunt on her own with the use of a crossbow. (just read the chappie :D) 

* * *

The sun was at its highest on the city of Venezia. Pigeons flew into the shining skies and the waters reflected the sunlight.  
Palazzo Della Setta whose current owner was none other than Antonio, leader of the Venice Thief Guild stood majestically amongst the other buildings with its pearly white color and its large courtyard. The main occupants were the thieves of Venice and it served as their headquarters as well.

Zita lazily opened her eyes seeing two pigeons perched on the ledge of a balcony. Her body felt a bit sore and she wanted to sleep a little longer. But then a light breeze tickled her skin and she realized that she was naked. She quickly sat up and looked around her new surroundings. One thing's for sure, this wasn't her bedroom anymore.  
Her face flushed into a deep red when she remembered what had happened last night. She covered her bare chest with her arms and looked for anything that could cover her form. There was a lone shirt on one chair and she carefully slipped out of the huge bed to get it. The cold marble floor made her shriek quietly and she tiptoed to the article.

Once she put it on, the bedroom door opened to reveal a woman in an attire similar to Ugo.  
The woman had jet black hair, olive green eyes and tanned skin. She had some sort of scowl on her face when she saw Zita wearing Ezio's shirt, unbeknownst to Zita that is.  
"Y-You must be one of Ugo's comrades. Buon giorno I'm Ce-Zita" Zita said quietly. She curtsied as was accustomed.

"I was only told to bring you these" the woman threw a chemise and gown at Zita who cautiously caught it. "Get dressed you're going to see Antonio" she said. "And what about Lotte?" Zita asked her. The woman turned around for a second and shrugged "I have no idea" she said and idly walked out of the room shutting the door behind her.  
The gown was gold, something that Zita was not used to wearing, and it was in a brocade style. She nonetheless put it on by herself and brushed her hair.

Zita stepped out of the bedroom. This palazzo is beautiful, she thought as she gave herself a grand tour of it. She touched the pillars and they were smooth to the touch.  
A gruff voice interrupted her and she turned around seeing a man followed by two other thieves. "Buon giorno madonna" he bowed and kissed her hand. Zita curtsied in return. "You must be Antonio" Zita said putting her hands in front of her as a habit.

"Indeed I am. Come, walk with me" Antonio said and the young girl complied.  
"May I ask a question Signore?" Zita said quietly "Of course what is it?" the girl glanced up to him for a second and looked back down on the floor. "How did you acquire such a palazzo like this?" she asked. The thieves behind them snickered.

Antonio too chuckled "We took it" he answered simply, Zita looked at him confused. "You see, the first occupant of this place was Emilio Barbarigo a nobleman bent on taking over the Venetian market. However, we managed to get rid of him and saved the markets from his grasp" Antonio explained. They stopped at a veranda where Zita heard the water splashing about. "You killed him didn't you?" she said looking up at him.

The man sighed deeply "There was no other way to rid of a person like him" he said.  
"It's alright, I'm used to it. Sometimes assassination is the only method used to bring down a person such as him." Zita said and gazed out at the canals. "By the way, why do you want to speak with me?" the two moved to another terrace to speak. "I just wanted to know how you are associated with Ezio. It seems that you two know each other very intimately" Antonio said.  
Zita paused, a smile appearing on her face.  
"I'm his wife…" she said.  
"Madonna!" She looked forward and saw her maid Lotte running up to her. She embraced her firmly and wiped the tears on her face.  
"I'm so sorry. I had no idea that Aude would do such a thing!" Lotte said.  
"What's done is done Lotte. Now all we have to do is gather Delphine's things and make sure the contracts are to be signed before anymore of the guards get them before us" Zita said. Her maid nodded Zita looked over Lotte's shoulder and saw Ugo.

"Can you do me a favor? Please accompany Lotte back to my palazzo and gather all the documents I need" she told him. Ugo bowed his head and escorted Lotte out of the building. Zita's lips twitched into a smile while she watched them go.  
By now Antonio knew she was fully aware of who were the Assassins and the Templars.

"My godmother Delphine and her husband were Mercenary Guild Leaders and supported much of Louis XI's men but when Monsieur Chevalier died, Delphine took over his work and now that she has passed away she has placed the guild under my name long before her death."  
Zita reviewed each document placed in front of her, writing her signature in every parchment or scroll. Lotte and a few more maids that decided to stay by their mistress' side helped her put the papers in orders.  
"There are certain rules when it comes to be a leader of a guild" Antonio explained to her one day. "First off, you need to be inducted to the Order so that you could gain control over your faction. Your membership is the proof of your loyalty to the Brotherhood. Second, you also need to be fit to defend yourself" he said.

Zita had turned a part of the bedroom into a study much like her own back in Monteriggioni, how she missed her mother-in-law and Claudia. She wondered how they were doing in the villa while Ezio was running around Italia searching and killing for answers.  
And here she was managing papers for a society that her godparents had created.

She was already on her twenty fifth paper when Ezio strolled into the room surprised to see a desk present were there was once an empty space in the middle.  
"What is all of this?" Ezio asked walking over to his wife's side taking a look at the paper she was holding. "Infantry? What is the meaning of all of this?" Zita looked up at him with a warm smile and explained it to him.  
"Delphine left behind some men for me to take care of and she wants me to create an alliance between the Italian and the French mercenaries" she said writing down her signature on one last paper. Ezio nodded his understanding but became too anxious because she was so worked up.

Weeks had passed since then. A new Doge was hailed and Venice was back in good hands. The current Doge was not corrupted like the recent one and the city was at peace once again.  
Zita began her new career by taking in young servants who were sold by their own families to work. It was a good start and Antonio helped with the search.  
By then, she already had a handful of young people who were eager to start anew and Zita's palazzo now overrun by learning mercenaries became the second headquarters in Venice next to Bartolomeo whom Ezio saved from the Templars.

The mercenaries Zita trained were young yet fit ranging from sixteen to twenty-five years old. The oldest were already thirty and thirty-six. They served as the trainers to them and sometimes assisted Zita in all of the military tactics.

It was yet again Sunday and it was time to head to church however Zita decided to stay at home since she started to feel unwell.  
She lied there in bed in her robes reviewing a few documents whilst the voices of her mercenaries were heard outside, probably in another duel with each other.  
"I swear if those boys injure themselves before they go out in the field…" Zita muttered and she felt something bubbling up in her throat again.  
"Dio mio" she muttered and hurried to the bathroom. Lotte walked inside her mistress' bedroom and saw that she was nowhere to be seen. "Madonna?" she looked around and heard noise behind the bathroom door.  
She came near it and knocked, "Are you alright madonna?" Lotte asked.  
The door opened revealing a rather pale Zita smiling.

Ezio returned from his assassination on Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro. He felt partially victorious because a ship leading to Cyprus had left and he was too late to stop it.  
He grunted and wished he could kick himself all the more. But once he returned to the palazzo of his wife he felt an air of joy and celebration.  
He saw his wife running to him in a bright pink dress. Before he could ask she kissed him softly and led him to their bedroom. There she told him of the news.  
Zita was pregnant again.

Eventually months began to fly by and Zita was posing for another portrait. There was a cushion at her feet for support while she gazed outside the window where the birds were chirping their songs for the world.  
The painter was none other than Leonardo Da Vinci who was happy to paint another portrait of the young lady. Ezio smiled behind the man feeling proud once again to be a father.  
"There, I'll have the painting done in two days" Leonardo said and helped Zita up from the chair. She was already seven months pregnant and still radiant at that. Her cheeks were always flushed since her body temperature rose more than usual.

She sighed a bit when she stood straight and placed a hand on her growing belly. "Grazie Leonardo maybe one day my children will be asking commissions from you" Zita said giggling. "Ah, that will be delightful! And they say, a happy woman will have a healthy baby" Leonardo said. "I'll have some of my boys escort you back to your workshop" she offered him.  
"Oh that would be, um, nice of you" Zita and Ezio laughed at his demeanor. "Don't worry, they're still young and not abusive like Bartolomeo's men" Zita assured him and bid goodbye to the polymath.

Then on November 14th, 1486 Zita gave birth to a healthy baby girl she named Maria Aria Theresa Auditore.

"Such a beautiful baby you are" Zita said as she cooed her child. The baby girl looked so much like her mother; she had inherited both hair and eyes from her. She even wore a similar pale pink gown like Zita was currently wearing underneath her green robes.  
Little Aria giggled sweetly with her mother and then reached out to touch her mother's long red hair. Zita laughed softly and picked up her child from her crib.

Ezio was at the Drawing Room entertaining his guests Antonio and Bartolomeo. They were discussing much of Venezia's restoration after the rule of Marco Barbarigo. There were still several things out there in need of repair because of its declining economy.  
Zita entered the lobby carrying little Aria in her arms.  
"Ah, buon giorno Madonna Zita" Antonio said bowing in front of the young lady. "Buon giorno to you as well Signore Antonio, Signore Bartolomeo" Zita replied. "What is the name of your child?" the Thief guild Master asked.  
"Maria Aria Theresa" Zita said.  
"And so the famed Assassin has a _la bella figlia_ (beautiful daughter) I'm sure she will be a beauty to die for" Antonio said. Ezio chuckled and wrapped an arm around his wife.  
Zita smiled at them but then they heard an alarm. A young mercenary came into the room frantically, "Madonna there are guards coming to the palazzo, what should we do?" he asked gasping a bit. Zita placed her daughter in Ezio's hands and told her condottieri to prepare themselves at the courtyard.

"Zita what will you do?" Ezio questioned her, she faced him with smile "Honestly, I really don't know" she said and headed downstairs. She tightened the belt around her waist and arrived at her courtyard where she saw the family crest of the Sforza on the flags.

"I should've known it was you" Zita said at the approaching figure. A boy by the age of seventeen walked up to her wearing Duke's ring. He bowed deeply but she did not in return. "You are Gian am I right?" Zita said quietly. Her younger brother, Gian Galeazzo Sforza, the new Duke of Milan. He took up all of their father's features including the way he stood. It almost made Zita chuckle. "Marquise de Chevalier, most commonly known as Maria Zita Angioletta D'Angelo" Gian said "You are honored to bear the name of Sforza as a Princess of Milan" her younger brother handed her a gold ring with the crest of Milan on it "And of Savoy for your alliance between the French and the Italians" Zita looked at him truly shocked at what he had just announced. She was speechless at first, she tried to say something but it only died out in her throat.

She gazed up at the balcony where her husband and child were. If she were to become a princess…Zita frowned deeply and gradually declined the ring. "I thank you dear brother for such wonderful offers. But as I said before to your mother, I will never bear the name of Sforza. I will accept the titles and the powers of the state however I shall never rule. My name shall never exist…just pretend I have been a terrible dream and when you wake up I will not be there anymore…" Zita said.

Gian stared at her confused all the more. "But Zita" he said his voice lowering into a whisper "This has been a special request of our father. He wrote in his journal that you'll do great things…just like our sister Caterina!" Zita smiled and assured him her decision was right. "I am a daughter of the House of D'Angelo, a family that ceased to exist because of your House…but I am not after vengeance all I'm after is peace…and erasing my name from he House of Sforza is the only way…Now go back to Milan, you have a city to rule, a wife to love and a family to take care of. Go back to them and leave me and my own family where it should be. But remember Gian, I will always be your oldest sister, always" she said and surprisingly Gian embraced her like the young man he was.

"You would've been a great ruler il sorella mia (my sister)" he said and Zita hugged him back. "Si…I would have…" Zita replied. Once Gian let go of her, he looked up at the balcony where he saw his little niece in another man's arms. "May I?" Zita nodded and gestured Ezio to come down.  
The Assassin arrived carrying the little child in his arms. He looked reluctant at first but knowing that it is a relative of Zita he handed his child over to the young man.

"A daughter…what is her name?" Gian asked. "Maria Aria Theresa" Zita replied. Her younger brother smiled at her "She has my blessing as well as my mother's, my uncle's and the whole city of Milano" Zita bowed her head in thanks and Gian returned his niece to her parents.  
"_Addio Principessa Zita_ (Farewell Princess Zita) I hope we see each other again" Gian bowed and turned to leave with his troops.  
"A Princess of Milan and Savoy…now I'm really doubting you every second" Ezio said after the Milanese troops have left. "Well aren't you happy that your wife is now a princess?" Zita said looking up at him "I'm happy for who you are and not because of your rank or status as a princess" he replied and kissed her softly on the lips. "Grazie Ezio" she said and cradled Aria in her arms.

It had been two years since Zita's Ascension to the hierarchy. The young Guild Leader and mother frolicked about in the villa Delphine had commissioned in the town of San Donà. Many trees were planted and flowers of many kinds grew. Zita was back in paradise where she will raise her child. Her wish had come true.  
She named it the Villa Poca (Little villa) though it was a small structure it was enough for her to raise her child in a place like this. She needed all the rest she could have before returning to Venezia to see if her mercenaries had any progress.

Two-year-old Aria plucked some flowers from the bushes and sneezed when she sniffed one. Her mother was a just a few meters away sleeping on the neatly cut grass of the garden. It was spring so it was a time of new things and new life. Zita opened her eyes and was greeted by her daughter who tried to pull out a small leaf from her tangled mess of hair.  
The young woman laughed and helped her daughter. She carried her in her arms as they went to the farm Zita raised. A few maids had already cleaned the chicken eggs so that Aria could hold them. Zita allowed the little girl to open the chicken coop and reach out to grab one egg.

"What's that? It's called _un uovo_ (an egg)" Zita told her little girl and she returned it back to its place. Next, they went to the barn where they kept the farm animals. The little lambs and kids were out to graze on the grass while their mothers stayed behind the fences.  
Zita put Aria down and the little girl immediately plucked a tall flower from its stem. "Come on, you feed the little lamb" Zita said encouraging her daughter, Aria looked up at her then back to the lamb before her. She stretched her hand to wiggle the flower in front of the animal and it snatched the flower from her hand. Aria cried and looked back up at her mother who only smiled at her.

Zita stood up straight and sighed deeply. This was the only place Lotte could not follow her, because she had been married to Ugo. Yes, Ugo the cunning thief of Antonio. They were married last month in January. Zita had hoped they would have children soon so that little Aria could have a friend to play with.  
Since this was her villa, she made sure no one would enter it, not even Ezio. The Assassin agreed to that term seeing that he has no power of his wife to do what she wants for her own safety and health.  
She finally had the courage to leave her husband's side for two years. Zita lied down on one couch laid out for her while Aria continued to walk around saying the words "_Blu_ (blue)" and "_Verde _(Green)" while running around a flower bush that grew blue flowers.

Zita grabbed one berry from the bowl and ate it quietly. There was no noise coming from the town since the villa was so far away from their prying eyes and their gossips. She sighed and sipped freshly squeezed orange juice from her glass.  
Just then she saw her maid running up to her, "Madonna there is someone here to see you" she said. Zita reluctantly got up and went to front yard of her villa. There at the bottom of the stairs she saw her husband riding a white horse.

"How nice of you to visit me amore!" Zita called out to him with a smug look on her face. "Come we have to bring an important item to a friend and we need all the men we can get" Ezio told her. The young woman replied with a smile and ordered her maids to fix her things including Aria's.  
She turned to Ezio who got down from his steed "Have you seen our little Aria?" she asked him. "Not yet, how is she?" Ezio said fixing on his belt and glove.

"Lovely" Zita replied leading him up the stairs but only until the entrance of the villa. "Wait for me here. Just let me change" she said and walked inside quickly closing the doors behind her.  
She slipped out of her white chemise dress and put on a blue-green gown with slashed sleeves. Aria wore a much similar gown to match hers. After packing most of her things they returned outside to greet Ezio.  
"There's papa look!" Zita pointed out for her but the little girl hid behind her skirt.

Ezio chuckled putting his hood down for his daughter to see. "Aria, it's me your padre" Ezio said and the girl peeked from behind.  
"Aria that's your papa. Give him a kiss" Zita told her daughter, Aria glanced up at her then at the mysterious man before her. Awkwardly, she jumped from her hiding place to wrap her small arms around her father's neck. "Well at least she recognized you" Ezio carried his daughter in one arm and leaned down to give his wife a kiss. "Now come on, we don't want to delay your mission" Zita said playfully smacking his chest.

They got on the boat Ezio had rented, costing him at least seventy thousand florins for renting such a thing. Zita assured him that she will pay him back although Ezio thought of other ways for her to repay him.  
"We will just have to pick up the Apple and then head down to Romagna to meet up with an ally of the Order" Ezio told her. Zita nodded then her eyes gazed down at his ring finger where their wedding ring hid an A-shaped scar.

She knew it was the symbol of the Order, she knew he was inducted into the Brotherhood at last. She was just afraid that the missions will become riskier than before. She was afraid of losing him.  
When they arrived in Venice two days after, Zita was greeted by Lotte who was already a month pregnant. Zita could see it in her face; she was going to be a nice mother someday.  
"Are the new maids treating you well?" Lotte asked her, Zita chuckled sweetly "Of course they are, but they are not fast as you" she said.

"Oh, well after I give birth I'll come to you straight away to assist you in everything you need" the maid said. Zita merely shook her head at her, "Lotte I can't let a woman like you do such things for my sake. Stay here in Venezia for a while to raise your child and once he or she is old enough you can stay in my villa in Chianciano Terme" she told her and handed her a shiny diamond necklace. "No madonna I can't-!" "Use the florins well, I know you can and Ugo" the said thief gazed up at the young mistress.

"Take care of Lotte for me" she said and turned away to get on the boat. All of her mercenaries were looking ready to strike. "Those two men really did a good job" Zita muttered that even one of her scrawniest mercenary had grown muscles in such a short time.  
A man came aboard the ship, he wasn't familiar with Zita nor was she familiar with him. Ezio came up next and introduced the two of them.  
"Niccolò, this is my wife Zita. Zita, this is Niccolò Machiavelli, a member of the Order" Ezio said, "Pleasure to see you Signore" Zita said with a bow of her head.  
"You must be the new Guild Leader of the French and Italian Mercenaries. I happen to be on the same field as you" Niccolò said. "I'm happy to know of those Signore. Ezio has told me that you were the one who suggested the location in Forlì, do you know who in particular are we going to meet there?" Zita asked him. "A very familiar face, not unless you've really cut ties with your true House" the man told her.

Zita thinned her lips at him. "You are saying we are heading to one of my half-sibling's ruling city?" she said.  
"Sadly yes, although you two bear a resemblance. Both have such will to fight and both are eager to protect what is theirs. The only difference is that you look too innocent to be brutal, while she is too brutal to be even called innocent" Zita raised an eyebrow at him and heard one of the sailors shouting to cast off.

Aria started crying again at the boat's movement and Zita had to bring her to the lower deck to quiet her down. Once in the confines of their bedroom Aria stopped crying and started playing with Zita's hair. "Oh that's a good girl. Ow, don't tug mamma's hair that hard" Zita said carefully pulling Aria's tiny hand off her head.  
She gave her to the maids to keep her company while she head back to the deck to discuss more matters with Ezio and Niccolò.  
Zita had assigned two of her mercenaries to guard the room where the Apple was. She even warned them that whoever falls asleep first will meet her sermons later.

The voyage to Romagna took at least a week but they've reached the place in no time. Zita emerged from the lower deck in a pale blue gown with silk sleeves. Her red hair was tied to a loose ponytail and a white choker adorned her neck. She checked if the mercenaries she had brought alone were enough. There were at least twenty seven of them.  
She hoped that it could suffice to their needs until the mission is done.

Actually, this was Zita's first mission and her first time to step on a place such as this. She was in contrast with the gloom and the dark weather. Some people called it the wetlands and she now knew why.  
Aria held on to her mother's hand tightly and looked down at the puddles of water. "No don't touch that dear, you'll get your hands dirty" Zita told her.  
Back at the villa Aria had been allowed to touch anything but in an unknown place like this she had to be careful.

They were now approaching a group led by a woman in a dark gown. She now recognized that look anywhere. Another illegitimate child of Galeazzo, Caterina Sforza. Now Zita understood why they were such opposites. It was already visible on how they dressed.  
Caterina wore a dark purple gown that was almost black due to the lack of sunlight but her hair was in a brighter shade of red and her eyes were somewhat gray or not a brighter green. Zita wore a gown that was almost white. Her hair was in a darker shade of red because she inherited it from her maternal grandmother and her eyes were of bright amber.

And just like what Niccolò had said, both had a burning will to fight and protect, both were maternal and caring although they showed it in different ways.

"It is nice to see you again Madonna" Ezio said greeting the Countess of Forlì. "Nice to see you too Messer Ezio and who is this young lady?" Caterina asked him.  
Zita smiled at her pleasantly, "I'm surprised you do not recognize your older sister Caterina. My name is Zita, pleased to meet you" she said.  
"Ah the girl who declined my foster mother's offer of adoption. I'm surprised to see that you have lived a much peaceful life" Caterina said gesturing to Aria.  
"Of course, I'm making up for the loss" Zita replied.  
Although there was still tension present between the two "Come, let us head into the city" Caterina told them and began leading the group towards the walled city. She told them how her city was doing under her rule and how it had been progressing for the past years.

When Ezio had asked her about her husband she told him that he died. Ezio muttered an apology but soon Caterina perked up "Don't be. I had him killed" she said.  
Zita stared at her half-sister's back and could feel her smirking. She hissed under her breath and picked up Aria from the ground when she started to tug her skirt.  
"Here let me" Ezio offered her his help. "Grazie, everyday I think she grows heavier and soon enough she'll have to learn how to lose weight" Zita sighed giving her daughter over to Ezio but found that the little girl didn't want to leave her mother's arms.

"Ah! No Aria, it's just papa!" Zita exclaimed while trying to calm the hysteric girl. "I think she's afraid of your hood" Ezio merely shrugged but what caught his attention was that people ran towards them screaming.  
One woman told Caterina that her fortress had been invaded by the Orsi brothers. The ones Caterina had hired to kill her godforsaken husband.  
"We have to hurry! My children!" Caterina exclaimed. Ezio turned around to face Zita and his daughter "You go find a safe place, I will come get you" "No! Let me come with you I can help!" Zita said putting her daughter in her maid's care.

"Roberto! Assemble my crossbow!" she shouted at one mercenary. "Archery?" Ezio said, "Remember Ezio, I used to love hunting but I never had the time to teach myself how to kill…well, I've put the time in good use" Zita told him. But he placed a hand to her shoulder it made her look up at him "Just be careful not to get hurt again" he said.  
The place where his hand was was the same place the arrow had once hit Zita. She nodded and quickly joined the rest of her mercenaries to help in the combat.

"Here you go madonna!" she was given her crossbow and she carefully loaded the arrow on it. Zita closed one eye and carefully aimed her weapon at the guard on top of the gates.  
'Just remember Zita, raise your bow a little lower than what you intend so that the strike will be accurate' A smile appeared on her lips at the very thought of it.  
"_Danke schön Berend_ (Thank you very much Berend)" she said and pulled the trigger that released the arrow. It struck the man right through the neck.

Zita clicked her tongue "And I was aiming for the chest" she muttered reloading her crossbow. About ten arrows later, the gates opened to let them in. They rushed inside only to be caught up in a battle. A few mercenaries swung their axe and long swords at the Orsi guards.  
Zita didn't even have time to fight them on her own. She was more worried about her daughter, she signaled the maids to come in quickly and they did.

"Madonna behind you!" Zita quickly turned around facing a fully armored man. The Brute raised his large axe at her and she hardly had time to register what was happening.  
"Zita!" she was quickly pulled away and a Hidden Blade was stabbed right through the throat of the man. Zita gasped and looked around her. She was in a battlefield and this was no time to be dozing off.  
"Get off of me" she muttered pushing Ezio's arm away from her. She grabbed a mace left by one of those guards and gripped it tightly. It was heavy but with enough strength she could be able to fight back only if Ezio would allow her to.

"What are you doing? You should've stayed outside with Aria!" Ezio shouted.  
"Ezio I'm a leader of these mercenaries! I just can't stand around there doing nothing to help them! Now if you want your Apple safe then let me do what I need to do!" Zita exclaimed.  
And Niccolò was right yet again. Zita was too innocent to be called brutal.

She dragged the heavy weapon across the ground. She looked ridiculous; a place like this wasn't a place for a woman like her. Go back home and drink your tea.  
Zita grunted and gave the mace a swing, managing to smash a guard's face in. She watched as he fell down to the ground with a thud, his jaw dislocated and blood began to ooze out of his ears, eyes, nose and mouth.

A hand was placed on her shoulder making her jump a bit, but when she saw it was Caterina she calmed right down. "Forgive me…you might think your older half-sister is such a coward that I'm aimlessly swinging this…thing around like a plaything" Zita said running a hand through her now messy hair. "Honestly I do, but since you're bold enough to swing a war mace like that I think you've earned my respect as a young sister" Caterina told her.

Zita chuckled huskily as she lifted the mace again only to trip and the mace had accidentally hit the guard on the head but effectively killing him. The young woman gathered herself from the ground and shrieked to see that her gown had been dirtied.  
"There's no time for that! Let's go!" Ezio exclaimed running past them to distract a few guards with smoke bombs. Zita had caught up with the smell and coughed as well.  
Ezio picked his wife up from the ground and put her over his shoulder while he grabbed Caterina by the elbow and ran through the streets.

"Put me down Ezio!" Zita screamed but had to clung to Ezio's waist so that she wouldn't fall off. They had passed through several alleys to get to Caterina's fortress. But realization hit her.  
"Ezio wait! We lost Aria!" she shouted loud enough for him to turn around and saw that the maids were no longer following them. Zita struggled to get out of Ezio's grasp however the man refused to let go.  
"Get into the fortress! I'll find them!" Ezio said putting his wife down in front of the fortress gates. "Wait I'm coming with you!" Zita exclaimed "No! You are staying in here and that's final! None of this would've happen if you just stayed put!" Ezio said.

Zita tried to speak but she found out she couldn't. Ezio was right, Aria would still be with them if she had stayed put outside of the town. But what should she do? Wait for him to return? She waited for him before and where did that lead her? It only brought her loneliness and anxiety. She didn't want to stay put in one place and just wait for him to come back. She wanted to be by his side so she wouldn't worry anymore, so that she wouldn't have to cling to chances.

Zita hated to be alone.  
"Aria is my daughter too" she said and gazed into his eyes her voice slightly shaking. "I don't want to lose our child again!" But then she was silenced by a kiss. Ezio broke off and kissed her forehead like he always did to comfort her.

"I promise I will find her…" he said and hurried back into the danger zone. "You bastardo! I've waited too long for you!" Zita shouted but found it impossible for her words to reach him.  
Ezio searched the whole city in every corner and every alley that could be used as a hiding spot. He heard a shrill cry at one far corner and he saw Aria sitting on the ground crying, the maids that had tried to protect her lay dead.

Ezio used his skills to run as fast as he could and tackle a guard before he could harm his daughter. He stabbed him thrice in the chest and glanced over his shoulder.  
"Mamma! Mamma! Mamma!" Aria continued crying and Ezio carefully picked her up from the ground. "Aria calm down it's me!" the hysteric girl continued thrashing her legs and tears ran down her face. Her gown now dirtied and her hair a mess just like her mother.

"Aria! Look it's papa!" Ezio said pulling his hood down. Aria's crying ceased a bit yet tears continued to shed. "That's a good girl, don't worry papa will take care of you." This time Aria wrapped her arms around him. "Okay let's head back and fast" Ezio muttered hoping that his daughter understood what he had meant.


	14. Leisure

Eventually I have to hurry to finish this story so I could post a new one requested by a friend :D

Still in AC2 environment BUT this time with our lovable Federico! ***hugs said man* **

* * *

She paced around behind the closed entrance of the fortress. It was visible in her face. She was nervous as well as worried. Her daughter was out there in that battlefield.  
An exasperated sigh escaped her lips as she paced around more forcing back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.  
The thoughts of her daughter gone only made her even more worried. Zita bit her thumb hard and gazed up at the towers where the archers were situated.  
"Has anyone arrived yet?" Zita shouted at the men.  
"Not yet Madonna!" one archer replied to her.

She uttered a curse under her breath and continued to walk back and forth some more. Caterina had had enough of her older sister's anxiety and walked up to her.  
"I don't think things will go faster if you continue your little tantrum" Caterina told her, grabbing her half-sister by the elbow but then Zita quickly slapped her hand away. "Don't you dare tell me what to do!" she shouted.  
"Just look at you!" Caterina shouted back "You look like a toddler who hasn't been given his toy!" That statement had made Zita's face flush.  
"For your information, I am not having a tantrum! It's called anxiety. My daughter is out there. **OUT THERE** in that massacre! What else should I do while I wait for Ezio to come back with her?" Zita exclaimed stomping her foot on the ground twice.

Caterina was about to speak however she was interrupted by one of her archers. "Madonna! Someone is coming! A man in white robes!" Zita jumped and dashed to the gates. The doors creaked open and Ezio rushed inside carrying a hysterical child in his arms.  
"Aria!" Zita cried letting the tears roll down her cheeks. She held her crying child and kissed her forehead then she gazed up at Ezio and kissed him on the cheek. "Grazie Ezio, grazie" she said and cradled the child in her arms.

"Oh Caterina Sforza!" they heard a voice on the other side of the walls. Caterina grunted and hurried up the tower followed by Ezio and lastly Zita.  
They hurriedly climbed up the stairs and arrived at the top. Below were two men in dark purple outfits. "Are you missing any children?" one of them said.

"Bastardo! Where are they?" Caterina shouted. "Oh we will show them unless you give us a certain Apple first" the man to the left snickered "Or do you want us to slit your babies' neck ear to ear?" "You bastardi! Go on! Kill them!" Then abruptly Caterina lifted her skirt showing her genitals to the men below "I have the instrument to make more!" Zita stared at her younger sister for long and then back to the Orsi brothers.  
"You have until sunset to give us the Apple or your children will be dead!"

Now it was Caterina's turn to be frantic. As always Ezio volunteered to rescue the two children and he absentmindedly jumped from the tower into a haystack.  
Aria cried again and buried her face into her mother's shoulder, "Sssh" Zita said bouncing the girl in her arms. Caterina turned to them with visible tears in her eyes. Her older sister held the little girl tight as if she was going to lose her again if she ever lets go.

"You'll get your children back…" Caterina looked up at her older sister "Ezio will come back with them…He will" Zita said blinking twice before getting off the tower. Aria pushed her mother's hair away from her face and looked at Caterina.

"She is a beautiful girl" Caterina said. It made Zita look back at her and a smile gradually appeared on her face. "Grazie…" she muttered and went down the tower.  
The Countess of Forli glanced back at the marshes that were rightfully hers and followed her sister down the stairs.  
The Apple was still safe with Niccolò and Zita's mercenaries. The latter still carried the child in her arms while telling her condottieri their positions around the fortress. She would put the girl on the floor if she needed both hands to pinpoint their places.

"Mamma" Aria tugged on Zita's now dirty skirt "Not now dear" Zita told her and assigned another mercenary to his station.  
"Has everyone settled in yet?" she said "Almost madonna" one of her mercenaries replied. The young woman nodded her head and looked back down at her daughter. She smiled and picked her up "Come, we have to get you cleaned" she said and approached a servant. "Excuse me but can we use the bathing area?" Zita asked "Why yes madonna, follow me" the servant said.

Zita nodded and trailed after the maid into the fortress. Even the inside felt a little gloomy compared to the outside. Once they arrived in the bathing area, Zita took Aria out of her messy gown and placed her in the small tub.  
"There we go" Zita said, rolling up her sleeves so she could clean her daughter up easier. She removed every smudge and grime on her tiny body with the use of a towel until the water surrounding her was light brown.

"Such a messy girl" Zita chuckled then she heard footsteps and she quickly looked up seeing Caterina with a servant. "I was hoping that your daughter would need a new gown to wear" she said and showed her a dark green gown made for children Aria's age.  
"Grazie Caterina" Zita replied getting up from the floor. Caterina chuckled "And it seems you are in need too" she said.

Her sister looked down seeing all the mess on the front of her dress "Yes but I'll try to live with it. An innocent girl like me has to learn" she told her.  
After drying Aria they slipped her into the gown. "There, say thank you to your aunt" Zita said while brushing her daughter's hair. Aria merely looked up at the other woman then to her mother. "It would seem that your daughter is very shy" Caterina sighed.  
"Very much. She was even cowering behind me when she saw her father for the first time in two years" Zita said now pulling Aria's hair into a ponytail. "He must be a scary person" Caterina joked and her older sister laughed with her "Only with his hood up, Ezio is a very caring father" there was silence between them.

"How long have you been married to Messer Ezio?" Caterina asked her "We got married when I was fourteen to be exact and he was seventeen. It was a long time ago I've almost forgotten" Zita chuckled and placed her daughter in her lap. "Was it some kind of arranged marriage or did you two just meet by chance?" Zita bit her lip and shrugged.  
"You could say it was an arranged marriage, but it was only done for my protection they say. Ezio didn't like the idea and would distance himself from me but when he learned of the truth he decided then that he and I would get married" she explained.  
"Took you awfully long years to have a child" Caterina said touching little Aria's hand. "Actually, Aria is my second child" Zita told her forcing a smile. "Oh and where is your first?" her younger sister asked.

Zita gazed down at the floor with a nervous smile on her face. "He died. Three months after I bore him…The doctor said it was tuberculosis and he had little chance of survival so when he passed away I couldn't bear the pain any longer so I ran off to escape the horrible memories. I ended up going back here and I found Ezio again."

She glanced up at Caterina this time with a straight face. "That is why I was frantic earlier…I lost a child once…and I didn't want to lose another…" Suddenly they heard commotion outside. A guard of Caterina came in heavily wounded "Madonna, they've breached the walls they're invading!" "Get every man out there! Don't let them get the Apple!" Caterina shouted standing up from her seat. She then turned to her older sister "Take your daughter to the children's playroom. She'll be safe there, once you're done join me" she said.

Zita nodded and ran further into the castle. She entered a room where a group of children were playing and the servants there jumped in surprise.  
"Please" she handed her daughter to one maid "Take care of her until I get back. Grazie" Zita gathered her skirt and ran out of the room hearing her daughter's cry echo in the hallways.  
She later emerged seeing chaos in the courtyard. "Madonna!" Roberto ran up to her carrying her trusty crossbow.

Zita loaded it and quickly aimed it at an Orsi guard. In her nervous state, the arrow missed by inches. She hissed a curse and reloaded her arrow again. Calm down Zita, she said to herself and carefully aimed it again.  
She released the arrow and it hit the man by the shoulder.  
"Too shallow" she reloaded once more and aimed for the thigh. The guard went down with that hit. Zita congratulated herself and hurried to find Caterina, a guard was running up to her raising his sword.

Zita used her crossbow to smack his face and quickly reloaded it. She shot the man right through the chest and watched him bleed to death. There was a small mace attached to his hip, Zita threw her current weapon away and bent down to remove the mace from its dead owner. It was lightweight but still deadly. Another came to her and she tried to hit his face however he backed away in time to avoid getting a direct hit.

Zita tried another swing but found it impossible to hit the evading man. "Madonna, use this!" a mercenary threw her a long axe. She discarded the mace and caught the thing with her hands. The axe was still bloody, fresh from a kill. Zita thanked her mercenary and gripped the weapon hard. She gave a full swing managing to send a few guards to the ground. Just by swinging that axe around she caused some kind of anxiety all around especially with just the hired men.

Zita raised the axe on one man and closed her eyes when the blade sliced through his flesh. Blood gushed out and stained her face and gown. She opened her eyes and saw the man convulsing on the ground. Her white gown covered with his blood.  
Her chest began to heave up and down uncontrollably and then she turned around seeing a Brute. He punched her squarely in the face and she fell down with a thud. She tasted blood on her lips and a bruise began to form on her fair cheek.

The Brute raised his own axe at her and she scrambled on the ground to grab something that could distract him while she escaped.  
"So this is the new Guild Leader of the Mercenaries? What a pathetic woman!" the Brute exclaimed chuckling as he decided to use his sword instead. Zita was still on the ground crawling to get to the sword on the ground but then felt something pierce her leg.

She screamed in pain scraping her nails on the stone. The Brute had pinned her right leg to the ground with one thrust.  
The sword is just right there! **RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU! **  
Zita struggled to get up and reach for it despite the sword that held her down. Just. Reach. For. It.  
"Help me God!" she uttered and a foot crushed her hand before she could have even touched the sword.  
"Poor thing. You need to learn to stay put in your place" The Brute gripped his axe and raised it above his head.  
If I were to die right now would anyone miss me? Zita thought to herself while watching the man before her send his axe down. She closed her eyes and smiled knowing at least she lived a good life sharing it with Ezio.

The Assassin felt a pang in his heart. Something had happened. His heart had skipped a beat and an eagle soared in the sky screeching. He had rescued the two children and was heading back to the fortress.  
He jumped from rooftop to rooftop sweat present on his face. Something happened back at the castle. The moment he ran towards the entrance seeing Caterina running out to greet her children. It was evident on her face.

"What happened?" Ezio asked her "I'm sorry Ezio. I'm so sorry" Caterina said whimpering. "No…" he ran inside quickly ignoring Niccolò's shouts of the Apple being stolen. That damn artifact didn't matter right now. What matters now is that his wife. His wife!  
Ezio dashed into the castle and saw a group of mercenaries outside a room. "What happened? Where is my wife?" he questioned each of them. Even grabbing one by the collar.

"I'm here" a soft voice said.  
Ezio turned his head seeing his wife using a crutch to walk her way towards him. She had a bruise and a visible black eye on her face. Her leg was bandaged with blood still seeping out of it. She smiled at Ezio and hopped her way towards him.

"Zita" he quickly embraced her and kissed her head. "What happened to you?" he asked her.  
She merely chuckled and patted the side of his face.

_"Madonna!" Three young mercenaries jumped on the Brute to bring him down while two others assisted Zita on the ground. "She's lost consciousness! Get the blade out of her!" the young mercenary held the hilt of the sword tightly and removed it from the ground with all his strength. Zita's eyes flew open and she screamed in pain. "We're going to get you out of here now madonna just hold on!" they carried her back inside to tend to her wounds._

And that's it. Ezio cursed wishing that it was he who killed that damn Brute.  
"But the Apple was stolen from us; the kidnapping was just a distraction" Zita told him. "…I'll get it back. Stay here and-" "I know stay safe" she smiled at him cheekily and returned to the clinic to rest.  
Ezio turned her around so quickly and kissed her deeply.  
When he let her go she stared at him confused. "I'll be off" he said and left. Zita touched her lips then gradually her cheeks flushed to its pinkish color.

He was almost there. Ezio ran as quickly as his feet could take him after the Orsi that had the Apple. He took out a knife and threw it at the man. Missed. He took out another and threw it with all the force in his body. The dagger had hit the man on the back and he fell down.  
Ezio caught up to him and retrieved the Apple.

"So…you have your prize again" Checco Orsi said grinning all the while. Ezio grunted "Was it worth it? So much bloodshed?" he said. The man before him chuckled "A prize of such value. It will not remain yours for long" the Assassin stared down at him then his Hidden Blade shot out from his bracer.  
"We shall see" Gradually Ezio stabbed him through the throat effectively killing him. "Che miserie nascono dall'avidità (What wretched things are born of greed). Requiescat in pace (Rest in peace)" he said but then felt something in the pit of his stomach.  
He glanced down seeing a dagger sticking out of him. Ezio grunted in pain falling back and the Apple slipped out of his grasp. He saw a pair of feet walking up to it and the Apple was lost yet again. With that Ezio lost consciousness.

She waited by the entrance of the castle grasping the crutch that help her keep her balance. It was almost dark and Ezio did not come back. Must this happen all over again?  
Aria was there accompanied by Caterina and her child Bianca. "Zita come inside, it's getting cold" Caterina told her. Zita looked back at them then at the empty streets. "You go on ahead I'll wait for Ezio to return…" she said. "Zita…" Caterina sighed bringing her daughter and niece into the castle.

"Is this how you felt when you waited for me to return to you?" Zita said to herself then looked down at the gold band around her ring finger. "Ezio…" she glanced up at the now orange-red sky and sighed.  
She was about to turn away when she heard loud shouts coming from a corner and she saw Caterina's men returning with something. Zita gasped and rushed to them. It was Ezio and he was severely wounded. "Ezio! Dio mio!" Zita exclaimed touching her husband's face. "Where did you find him?" she asked the guard. "We found him outside beside Checco Orsi" he replied. "Quick! We need to tend to his wounds!" she said and called one of her mercenaries to help.

The doctor tended to his wound and told Zita to let him rest for a few days. She nodded and thanked him after.  
Ezio lay on the bed asleep with a bandage wrapped around his stomach. Zita took a seat next to him and gently pushed away his long bangs. She chuckled a bit as she did "Do you remember when we were young? You used to be naïve back then. We both were. I never imagined you to be such a protective type of husband remember? You went out to get revenge on Vieri when you knew it was he who plotted against me. You got beaten up badly and you had to be in crutches for a month" Zita paused to chuckle and wipe a tear from her face.

"Now our places have switched…Here I am worrying about you like what you did to me as well" she leaned forward to place a chaste and innocent kiss on Ezio's forehead.  
"_Ottenga prego bene presto_ (Please get well soon)"

Days began to pass and Ezio refused to open his eyes. Zita still sat there beside him waiting for the moment he would open his eyes again. Aria sat there on her lap playing with a doll Bianca had given her. Zita sighed holding her child closer to her. She had prayed day and night that her husband would awaken. She placed Aria beside her father and smiled when Aria laid her head on her father's shoulder.  
Zita held Ezio's hand and kissed it gently. "Please amore…wake up"  
Another week had passed and the Assassin still refused to wake up.

Zita removed the bandage around her leg and saw her wound had closed but it was still painful. Caterina had given her a well-polished cane to use while she walked around the castle. Aria became good friends with Bianca Caterina's other children. She didn't have to worry anymore about friends.  
Still Zita continued to enter Ezio's room to change the flowers however when she entered his room he was no longer there but a maid fixing the empty bed.

"Where is he?" she asked the servant and rushed out even before the maid could answer leaving her cane on the floor. She ran all the way to the courtyard and she began to gasp.  
"Ezio! You bastardo! I hate you!" she shouted at the top of her voice and sat on the ground sobbing. "I hate you…bastardo…why did you leave me?"  
"I would never leave you" she gasped and looked up seeing Ezio in his dark Assassin Robes and a beard on his face. "Zita…" "Figlio de puttana! Don't you dare scare me like that ever!" Zita exclaimed quickly standing up and realizing she left her cane she fell into his arms.

Ezio couldn't help but chuckle and kiss his wife like he did before. "If I did leave you would I be kissing you right now?" Zita blushed and shook her head at him.  
"Good then we both have settled this" he said and kissed her again. Zita wrapped her arms around him pulling him even closer. "Ti amo" she whispered while tracing his face with her delicate fingers. "Ti amo anche…" Ezio replied.

They had thanked Caterina for her hospitality and her kindness. She in turn thanked them for their help. Zita was in a new gown, a burnt orange one with a matching veil to cover her head. She bid goodbye to her half-sister and promised someday she would return to help her once again. "And I the same sorella" Caterina said smiling.  
The couple and their child got on a carriage to search for their lost treasure. "Back to Firenze?" Zita asked Ezio while they were out on the road "No, I can no longer return there unless needed. Even though my family's name has been erased from crime I still cannot return there somehow" Ezio told her. She smiled and patted his hand.  
"At least take a break…Even for a few months?" she said.  
"I could but I have to find where that monk is" Ezio replied.

She nodded and leaned back against the seat "September is Uccello's birth month. Just don't forget to visit him alright?" Ezio looked up at her surprised.  
"Alright…" Zita replied with a smile and gazed out at the mountains before them. It's been so long since she last saw this beautiful place. She admitted she really did miss the Tuscan atmosphere.  
"Just drop me off at Chianciano Terme, I still have to repay the town for taking care of me" Zita said as they arrived on that green field with the cypress trees. "As you wish" Ezio said.

The carriage arrived at the foot of the stairs. Zita's mercenaries were awed by the size of the villa. "Madonna is this our new home?" one of them asked her.  
Zita merely laughed and nodded. "Don't break any of my things in there. Or you'll surely be paying it with your blood" she said watching them explore the new town. A woman of age sixteen walked up to Zita and bowed.  
"And you are?" Zita asked her.  
"My name is Adona, daughter of Agnese and your new custodian" she said and bowed "Ah, I'm glad to hear of that. Adona meet Aria, she will one day be the new owner of this villa so please take care of her very well."

For a few short months Zita had been training more mercenaries at her villa and she herself was being taught by her own students. They were simple evades and dodges but they were all hard to master even for the likes of her.  
She even had to wear a bit of armor to protect herself while practicing with her condottieri. Aria was taken care of by Adona and a few maids that were there.

"And evade madonna!" her favorite student Andrea said and Zita stepped back to evade the sword attack. "You're learning pretty well madonna" Andrea said but quickly jumped back when Zita tried to swing her sword at him "That's because you are teaching me" she said.  
After practice Zita retired to room to take a warm bath. She let out a satisfied sigh and leaned back against the tub. "Madonna" a maid entered the bathroom "There is someone here to see you" she said. "Tell them to wait for me at the Drawing Room" Zita told her. The maid nodded and left to tell off the guests.

"Now who could be visiting me on such occasion?" she mumbled getting out of the tub and wrapped a towel around herself. She chose to wear a bright yellow dress with a pink skirt and some ornamented pins for her hair. She went to the Drawing Room followed by two other of her boys and entered seeing a familiar face on the elegant olive green couch.  
"Uncle Mario?" she said in disbelief "Zita! It's so nice to see you again!" the man pulled Zita into a tight hug and she merely laughed. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at Monteriggioni with your condottieri?" she said.

"I was but when Ezio told me that you returned, took him months actually to say it, I came here!" Mario exclaimed raising his hands in the air. Zita laughed with him and told her maids to prepare dinner for them. "So I've heard nipote that you became a leader of the condottieri as well" Mario said after setting back down on the couch "Si, it originally came from my godparents who handed it to me to take care of. I have more condottieri at Paris as well as Venezia, but I've already assigned the people to take care of them in my absence especially in France" Zita told him.

"Va bene. I like the way you think, so are these mercenaries of yours new?" Mario asked gesturing to the mercenaries present in the room "They're young but they are able to fight well just like the one in Forlì there hasn't been any casualties to say the least" she said.  
"Well if you wish to progress your guild, I have an associate in Roma who is willing to supply you weapons of any kind as well as new mercenaries" Mario said. "Really? Grazie uncle Mario grazie" "Think nothing of it. Warriors must think alike" he said.

Zita grinned and the door opened to let little Aria in, "Oh by the way uncle this is Maria Aria Theresa Auditore" she put the little girl on her lap for the man to see. "She has your beauty as well as your stunning will to fight" Zita laughed sweetly this time and asked him if he was going to stay for dinner.  
"No, mi dispiace but just like you said I need to be back in Monteriggioni to keep my men in line. Just remember what I've told you" and with that the man left.  
Zita enjoyed dinner with her daughter and her guild. It was going to be September in a few short days and she needed to buy some white flowers for her son.

She had written a letter to a certain Calvino in order for him to note of her presence. A day after the letter was sent she set forth to head down to Roma to search for this Calvino.  
It was a quick trip to the city since Chianciano Terme was near the province of Lazio. Zita stepped out of her carriage wearing a gray gown with gold embroidery complete with a black veil.

She told her condottieri to search for others within the city while she told her aids to come with her to the market to buy a few things. "Wait you're not going to search as well?" Andrea asked her. "Of course I will, just discreetly" she told him and left with her daughter holding on to her hand. Aria wore a yellow gown with her hair tied into a half-ponytail.

They arrived at the market buying a few items so that she could bring it back to Tuscany as well as fabrics for new dresses. The touch of vanity wasn't gone from Zita just yet.  
While choosing some beautiful jewelries on display Zita saw people gathering around something. There were numerous of boys betting for whoever was in the circle. "Probably another fist fight" she muttered and looked back at the jewelry however the fight became even more violent and then a person ran out of the circle half-bleeding.

The person that had beaten him was a young boy of thirteen, his black hair a mess and his brown eyes showing anger.  
"You will doubt the name of Borgia once again and I shall kill you!" he shouted at the retreating man. A few of his comrades patted his back for congratulating him while others collected their pay. Zita narrowed her eyes at him. He said Borgia. Why does that name ring a bell to her?

He was slowly approaching her and he noticed her all too quickly.  
Zita picked up one silver necklace with some red rubies on it and tried it on. "It suits you" the boy said beside her. "Does it? What a fine young gentleman you are" Zita replied dryly and put the necklace back. When she looked at him again his expression changed like he was familiar with her. "I'm sorry is there something on my face?" she asked.  
"Yes but I can't quite put it" he replied.

Zita smiled at him "You're an interesting boy…" "Cesare Borgia" that's when it struck her. He was that boy she met years ago and now he was a young man.  
"And I wonder what destiny has in store for us this time Cesare?" Zita said grinning all the while. "Well I do not know Signora, shall we discover it together?" Cesare said putting his hand out for her. She placed her gloved hand on his and he kissed it.

"You've been taught well" she said. "So they say" Cesare leaned back against table admiring that the woman he met years ago was here in Rome of all places.  
"By the way might I ask what are you doing here?" he asked her.  
"Nothing really. Enjoying my time here with my daughter and all" Zita noticed his smile disappeared for a second but the smile returned.  
"Is there something wrong?" she said. "Nothing really. I need to get back to my mother, I'm not allowed to wonder much nowadays" he told her.  
"Because of your fights?" Zita said with a sly grin.

Cesare replied with a grin of his own, he bent down to kiss her hand again and he stepped back.  
"Till we meet again madonna"  
"Till we meet again Cesare"

She watched him leave until he disappeared into a crowd. Zita snickered and turned away not knowing what Cesare's true intentions were.

* * *

A/N: Yeah...

Even though I did not want to but since this is my niece's story still there has to be some sort of twist in this.  
Well age didn't matter actually back then in the Renaissance so Cesare...have fun with the older ladies xD

Yes, apparently Cesare is now 13 in this chappie making Zita 26 years old wow...so when Cesare is 18 she'll be like 31 ...blame my niece not me...  
...Bu if Cesare is 24 at the Siege of Monteriggioni in 1499 then that would make Zita at least 37 years old...Cesare has weird taste in women (but I don't mind! :D)

So? You like the chapter or not?  
Do you like this stupid new pairing or not? (Cuz I can kill Cesare anytime xD...or not)


	15. Vanity

**I gotta say...you people tempt me with your reviews!**

**"Don't let Cesare get in the way wit Zita!" or "Oh no Cesare!"**

**(I really enjoyed them a lot and thanks a bunch for it) :D**

* * *

"Ezio!" This wasn't the first time her husband tried to do a scandalous scene. Her grip on his shoulders tightened with every thrust and only loosened only when he pulled back.  
Ezio had dragged Zita into one of her drawing rooms in her villa. Her back was against the wall while her legs were wrapped around his waist. "Ezio please I n-need to f-f-finish signing those p-p-papers!" Zita exclaimed and gasped when Ezio hit that spot in her.

"Oh? And you don't have time for your husband anymore?" Ezio said huskily and added another red spot on his wife's neck.  
Zita threw her head back and released a moan. With one final thrust the two climaxed and collapsed on the floor. Their chests heaved up and down catching their breaths.  
Ezio wolfishly grinned and pulled her into another kiss. His pace became persistent and Zita's groans only fueled him to thrust harder and deeper into her.

He always made a quick visit to Zita after every mission. Only to have Zita's body all sore and sweaty. September has longed passed by and it was November, Aria was going to turn three in just two days but Ezio had other plans.  
"Ezio!" Zita groaned and gasped when his hands groped her bare chest.  
Their clothes littered the floor and the door was locked. "Ezio-Ah! Please amore…I need-ah! To finish my job!" she said even clawing down his bare back just to get him off her.  
"…When I'm finish…" Ezio muttered. Zita could only sigh and wait for him to be done instead.

The weapons they now have were stored in one of the guest rooms of the villa. Much equipment was also placed there including some of the paintings Zita commissioned from Leonardo Da Vinci. Her favorite was the painting where she placed little Aria on her lap whilst the baby was holding a pinkish white rose while her second favorite was the one where she is walking in the Angelo Garden in her chemise dress followed by her favorite student Andrea.

Zita sat behind her favorite desk dressed in her green robes approving some of the orders the assistant guild leader in France had made. Ezio was sleeping on her bed lightly snoring and still naked. She snickered quietly and brought her tea cup to her lips for a drink. The weather became a little cool since it was November and the linden trees started to show the distinct color of autumn and the leaves began to fall in a beautiful way.

Soon everything will be covered in white snow like it always did for many years. Zita sighed and stared out her window. If only Ezio wasn't an assassin and she would be just a normal girl married to him. She smiled and organized her papers.  
Just in time Ezio groaned and sat up from bed. He ran his hand through his long hair and stretched popping a few bones here and there.  
"Buon giorno amore mio" Zita greeted. He replied with a smile then searched for his clothes. Zita pointed the neatly folded article of clothing on the couch not far from his reach. Ezio grinned and reached for his clothes.

His wife snickered and placed the quill back to its place. "I'm done with these, now I have to go back to Roma to fetch some maces I've charged Calvino with" she said. "Zita you have some men to fetch it for you remember?" Ezio said grabbing a green apple from the fruit bowl and took a bite from it. "Si but I'm budgeting. The only people I've known to hire my mercenaries are noblemen from San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, Chianciano Terme and lastly Venezia. Plus the first three places could hardly even come up with much money to pay for them" Zita told him. She got up from her chair and called for two maids to fetch her gown. It used to be one of her old ones. A black gown made with an ermine collar and cuffs.

"And because I am incognito within Roma, I am allowed to mingle there as much as I want with the nobles" Ezio shrugged and bit into the apple again.  
Zita slipped out of her robes and into the black gown, her red hair tied to a bun with diamond encrested hair pins to put it in place. She also wore her diamond earrings and her forty-five carat onyx and gold necklace as well as velvet gloves.

Aria ran into the room screaming and latched on to her father's leg. Adona was right behind her fuming. She said that the little girl refused to let her hair be brushed into a ponytail. Zita and Ezio laughed and looked down at their daughter.  
"Come now Aria, you're going to be three years old soon. You'll have to learn how to behave towards your maid Adona" Zita said taking the brush from Adona and brushed Aria's hair back.  
"Will you be staying here until I come back?" she looked up at her husband.  
"Of course, I'll keep her company till your return" Zita stood up straight and planted a kiss on her husband's cheek. Andrea came in and bowed "Madonna the carriage is ready" he said then left.

The young noblewoman cheerily smiled and bent down to kiss her daughter on the forehead. "Addio" she muttered waving at them from her carriage window.  
The travel to Roma was indeed quick and no sooner did she arrive at the capital of Italy. She got off the carriage looking up at the structures before her. She stood in the middle of the group. Two condottieri in the front and three at the back. They escorted her to Calvino's hideout which was situated just a few meters from Piazza di Monte Citorio. His military barracks were surrounded by numerous blacksmiths and tailors.  
Zita used the back entrance of the building and met Calvino face-to-face.

He had a disgruntled feature mostly untidy but he somewhat looked neat through the eyes of his men. Gray hair was visible on his head and his dark brown eyes showed a bit of annoyance.  
"Buon giorno Signore Calvino" Zita said politely. "Peh. How much you got for me today?" Calvino said walking over to his desk. The young noblewoman threw a bag full of florins at the desk that some of them flew out of the bag when it hit the hard table.

"Seventy-thousand florins not bad" Calvino said scratching his stubby chin. "Just give me the weapons so we can both get it over with" Zita sighed with a roll of her eyes. The man before her grunted and called out to his men.  
The maces she wanted were there before her. "Very well-shaped I must say" Zita said after examining each. "Whatever. Now get out of here" Calvino said pointing at the open door. Zita curtsied then left. They've brought the weapons back to their carriage and it was time for her to become a noble once again.

"Excuse me, but I have to meet someone very important at the moment. Go enjoy the city while I'm gone but don't cause a ruckus" Zita told her condottieri then left for Campo de' Fiori. That is the same place where she had met Cesare again after three years. He had grown to be a young man, she thought and browsed all throughout the market stalls. Roma had some interesting herbs coming from various countries and Zita wanted to test some of them out in her next cooking.

"It appears that something has caught my lady's interest" a voice said. She didn't need to guess who it was judging by its accent of Italian and Spanish.  
Cesare looked down at Zita with a smile that could make the nearest woman faint. She smiled back and put down the parsley she held. "I was expecting you here Signore" she said.  
"You were? I'm actually quite shocked to say the least" Cesare replied. "Yes I'm shocked as well seeing a young man like you walking around in Roma's finest market before lunch" Zita said raising her head high at him.

Cesare's lips twitched into a smile, "Speaking of lunch would you like to come by at my home? I'm sure you're pretty hungry by now" he said. "Why thank you, lead on" she said wrapping an arm around his.  
He led her to different places around the city pointing at a few ancient monuments that still stood to this day. Zita smiled and nodded at each and finally arrived at the Palazzo Borgia which was situated just within the Vatican City.

"You live alone in this lonely place?" she asked him "Not really. My mother and siblings live here together so I'm not alone…" Cesare said and brought her inside. It was a vast place that could almost rival the Doge's Palace. Servants were sweeping the courtyard and bowed immediately when Cesare passed by them. "Would you like to have it in my quarters instead?" Cesare said after getting a feeling that he was being watched. "Oh sure I don't mind" Zita replied still linking her arm to his, they went upstairs hearing some whispers from the servants earlier. "Don't mind them. They have nothing better to do than to gossip about people they don't know" Cesare said. The woman beside him smiled and nodded "It's alright. I've been through that a lot" she told him. Quietly they were approaching a room where Zita could smell a familiar scent.

"Do you like keeping wisteria's too?" she asked him.  
"It's actually one of my favorites, they're beautiful when its spring" he said. Cesare's room was large. The canopy bed was just across the room, he had many bookshelves filled with history, poetry and math books. In the balcony there was a table and a couple of chairs for them. Indeed there were wisteria vines growing along the ledge much like Zita's own balcony back in Florence.  
Firenze. Now that she thought about it, she missed the Palazzo Auditore and all its memories she kept there about her second family.

She quickly released her hold on Cesare and rushed to the balcony. "I wish I could see them in their full bloom in spring again" she said. The young man leaned against the ledge of the balcony and looked at Zita's face.  
He saw how fair it was and how her flushed cheeks only made her more alluring. He was interested in her but rather more deeply than ever, since that night they met in Venice. "You seem to know your plants better than I do. But what I want to know is the real you. Who are you Madonna?" Zita looked at him surprised a bit then smiled.

"My real name is Maria Zita Angioletta D'Angelo. My father was a banker in Milano but then he died of the plague. My mother and I lived far away…Actually I shouldn't really be telling you this. You won't understand" she said. However she felt a hand holding hers.  
She looked straight into the young man's brown eyes. "I will understand Madonna Zita if you allow me to venture into your life as you are doing into mines" Cesare said.  
Zita flushed even deeper and slipped her hand away from his. "I'm going to be an old woman soon. You'll get bored" she said. Cesare let out a laugh. The first she heard in years and it caught her attention. "I promise I will not. Your face already tells me you are very unique" he said grinning.

"Va bene. I'll tell you, but only to you alright? It must not reach any other ears" she warned him. "I cross my heart" Cesare replied.  
Zita smiled at him one more time and started her story. "My true house is not of D'Angelo but of Sforza. My father was the recent Duke of Milan, Galeazzo Maria Sforza. He was the one who brought me and my mother to Vienna to live until I would later on grow up to be a fine noblewoman. However I was arranged to be married to the son of Dario's friend. And this is where I ended up" she stared up at Cesare and found him too close to her already.

Before he could even lean down to do what he wanted the doors opened quickly to reveal Cesare's younger sister Lucrezia inside.  
"Il fratello mio!" she said aloud and gasped seeing her brother with another woman. "Cesare! Who is this woman?" Cesare sighed with the roll of his eyes. "Madonna, this is my little sister Lucrezia. Lucrezia this is Signora Zita, be nice" he said.

The young girl crossed her arms and pursed her lips at Cesare then at Zita who nodded her head in acknowledgement.  
"She looks a little old" Lucrezia replied. "Lucrezia!" Cesare exclaimed which made the eight year old giggle and run out of the bedroom. Zita chuckled lightly and glanced over to the young man. "She's an interesting little girl" she said fiddling with the leaves and small vines.

"Father spoils her too much" Cesare replied and ran a hand through his hair. Zita smiled for a second before looking out at the beautiful city of the Vatican.  
The city life was fairly different from the country life. The current Pope was doing a good job with the people. She admired how one person could take care of such vast and rich place.  
Church bells rang in the distance to tell of the time and it was already afternoon. The two had been standing there looking at the big dome where the Pope is situated.  
Zita was about to tell Cesare something about it but they interrupted once again. A servant came inside and bowed in front of them.

"Signora Vannozza has called both of you for pranzo (lunch)" he said then stepped out. Cesare sighed and his head hung low. Zita could feel his humiliation rising in him and she patted his shoulder instead. "It's alright. It's not like I'm your girlfriend or something" Zita said.  
Cesare slightly blushed at the word and cleared his throat.  
"I'll guide you to the dining hall" he told her. They walked out of the bedroom together and down the halls.

There were numerous paintings hung upon the walls as well as expensive furniture. The palazzo's main dining hall was huge. Cesare told Zita that whenever his father comes home he would sit on that chair but on this occasion it would be his mother.  
Vannozza dei Cattanei sat on the large winged chair where the master of the house would sit. To her right was Lucrezia while to her right was Cesare's older and younger brother, Giovanni and Jofré. His siblings turned their heads seeing their brother entering the hall with a woman beside him. Lucrezia grinned widely at Giovanni.  
"I told you he kept a woman in his room" she whispered quietly.

Cesare led Zita to his mother then stepped back for them to introduce each other properly.  
Zita curtsied in front of the woman and smiled. "Signora Cerise it has been a very long time since I have seen you" Vannozza said. "And so do I madonna" Zita replied.  
Cesare came up to her to guide her to an empty seat beside Lucrezia. He then went to his seat between Giovanni and Jofré.

They ate their meal quietly with the sound of utensils clinking against the ceramic plates and the chattering sounds coming from the boys. Vannozza turned her head at Zita's direction. "So tell me Cerise, what brings you here to Roma?" she asked her.  
"Oh I'm still continuing what my mother had left me. I'm trying to make trade between here and Paris as well as other countries" Zita answered then added "I'm also trying to find my daughter's birthday gift."  
The table went quiet for a second until Lucrezia spoke "You're married and you were in my brother's room?" she said. "Lucrezia! That was very impolite!" Vannozza said and Lucrezia mumbled an apology. The mother then looked back at Zita. "Well that was a bit surprising. You had a reputation of being single back then in Venezia" she said.

"I was until I met my husband. He's merely a messenger but he is a humble person" Zita replied and sipped on her wine. "Then congratulations on your marriage and happy birthday for your daughter. How old is she?" Vannozza asked.  
"She's going to turn three this fourteenth of November" Zita said. "Ah well, my son Jofré here is merely six years old. Perhaps we can arrange something between them?" The statement suddenly made Zita uneasy. Maybe this was how Dario and Giovanni discussed with each other but in a serious matter not like this one between two women and besides her marriage to Ezio was merely for her protection. "Um, I'll think about it and this arrangement is somewhat too early" she said. Vannozza nodded and then talked about other things.

When their mealtime was over Cesare led Zita to a family room where he would play the lute for his entertainment and practice swordfight with Giovanni.  
"I'm sure you'll grow up to be an interesting military man" Zita said and held up once sword from the table.  
"Shall we?" she asked him. Cesare stared at her in disbelief, "You know how to handle that thing?" he said not wanting to provoke her. "Of course I have my ways and it's been so long since I sparred" Zita said swinging the sword around like how Andrea taught her.

Cesare chuckled and gestured her to follow him. Zita returned the sword and trailed after the young man. "This is the family's armor room. My father intends to give it to Giovanni once he is old enough and one day he'll command an army of his own" Cesare said picking up a shiny sword from its case.  
He turned around facing Zita "Now you said you wanted to spar with me" Zita replied with a nod. "…Alright, but be warned no man…or woman has ever defeated me over sparring before. Not even Giovanni" the noblewoman before him chuckled and grabbed a sword of her own. They walked out to the courtyard to begin.

"Ladies first" Cesare said with a gesture of his hands. "Suit yourself" Zita replied and charged forward. Cesare blocked it easily and Zita quickly swung her sword from the left.  
The young man had a big smile on his face all throughout the match.  
Zita was evenly matched by him. Well it was not a coincidence; he was young and fleet-footed so he had a better chance of dodging, blocking and evading.  
She tried to look for an opening but found that she couldn't. He was too quick for her. Zita stepped back catching her breath and then applauded.  
"Well, well, well it looks like you hold true to your words" she said.

Two servants came to take their weapons for them. Cesare chuckled and walked up to her. "I did try to warn you but you never did listen" he said. "I never do" Zita glanced up at the sky and she knew she had to get home before sun down. She sighed and fixed her attire.  
"Eventually things must have an end I have to go now Cesare. It was great being here with you and your family" Zita said. "Might if I accompany you?" Cesare offered. She shook her head at him then noticed a mercenary peeking through the gates of the palazzo.

"No thank you, I'll find my way back and if I get lost I'll know who to call" she said and gradually walked away from the young man. Cesare clenched his fists tightly then shouted "Wait!" Zita turned around looking straight into his eyes. "Will I see you again?"  
At that same time, Zita felt something rose in her chest like a subdued feeling that she was letting out. She instantly smiled and nodded. She left the palazzo shortly after hoping she wouldn't return to Roma frequently.

The townspeople of Chianciano Terme greeted the princess when she emerged from her carriage. She greeted them as well and received some purple flowers from one of the women present there. Eventually Zita became the caretaker of the little town along with her condottieri and her husband Ezio she was able to renovate important businesses so that the income of the town would increase much more than it used to.  
She entered her villa and was greeted by her assistant Teodoro. He is the one who handles the money system of Chianciano Terme and he also keeps count of the profits.

"How much have we earned this month?" Zita asked him while removing her gloves. Two maids followed her quick strides down the hall to take her things. "At least three hundred thousand ever since the annual harvest season of wheat, barley and grapes madonna. As for the jobs, a few rich families have been hiring them for the better" Teodoro reported.  
"Good, I want you to write that down. Use the three thousand to renovate the town's mining area" Zita told him. "Ah yes about that, there was a miner who had struck at least a fortune madonna, he discovered some diamond materials within the mines yet he refuses to share them. Now he has lived down there for quite a long time now and refuses to leave."

The woman paused and sighed "Does this person live alone?" she asked.  
"Apparently yes, ever since his hoard on the town's diamonds his family left him" Teodoro replied.  
Zita shook her head, why such thing must happen in this peaceful town?  
"Tell my husband I need to speak with him. Tell him to meet me in my study. When the man leaves the mines do the renovation. Also donate at least twenty thousand to Monteriggioni and to San Donà." Her assistant bowed and quickly left to do his job.

Zita was left in the hallway staring down at the village below. Funny how such a small place would ever keep a woman like her.  
They never really knew who she was and she was frightened that they might get dragged into her own problems. She sighed deeply and dwelled deeper into her home.

On Aria's third birthday they held a mass for the little girl and a party was celebrated at the villa. Everyone was invited. Gifts of different kind were given to the little girl including a black cat tat Aria loved. Zita named it Macaron after her favorite bloodhound.  
The little girl wore a rose pink gown while her mother wore white. Thousands of candles illuminated the whole building and fourteen servants were needed to serve the food and drinks.  
The children enjoyed the sweets Zita had brought all the way from France. Icings were smothered on their face while some had it in their hair.

Champagne was poured into Zita's glass and she took a sip after. She had stunning diamond earrings on and a feather brooch. She sat on the gambling table with some men and women who were playing. Ezio was at the far corner of the room in a new doublet that Zita made. He was speaking to Uncle Mario and Niccolò Machiavelli about Templar matters on a low profile.  
Zita laughed at the jokes one farmer was saying and then threw her cards on the table. She had won yet again and gathered the money she had won.

After many bottles of champagne were downed Zita excused herself and went to the Angelo Garden to relax. The cool breeze of November hit her and she sighed in relief.  
She walked down the path seeing the linden trees in the moonlight and her pond. The little cabin was still open for her whenever she needed it.  
"Enjoying the moonlight are we?" she turned around seeing Ezio behind her. She chuckled sweetly and shook her head "You and your stealth" she said.  
"It's crucial for me to have it or else I wouldn't be able to finish my missions" Ezio said. Zita looked at him with all the love in her eyes then she stared down at her feet blushing.  
"I felt as if I fell in love with you all over again" she muttered and started to fiddle with the ribbons that held the front of her gown.

"Zita" she gazed up at Ezio's voice then a pair of lips landed on hers. It was long yet sweet and it was a kiss a person would give to the one he loved the most.  
Zita wrapped her arms around him to pull him closer and the two hid themselves by the rose bushes.  
December rolled in as quickly as November had flown by.  
And on that month, Zita had discovered her pregnancy yet again.

"Second child, I never imagined I would have a second child" Zita thought as she wrote the whole event in her diary. Ezio had hoped for this and was wishing for the child to be a boy. His wife smiled at him while running her hands all over her swollen belly.  
"A boy would prove interesting caro mio" Ezio told her and leaned down to plant a kiss on her head. "Si it would" Zita replied.

But on September 4, 1489 Zita had difficulty giving birth to her second child. She had suffered severe hemorrhaging and back pain that she fainted soon after her child came out.  
When she opened her eyes she saw Ezio sitting by the side of her bed smiling.  
"God has granted our wishes. We have a son" he said.  
A nursemaid walked up to Zita and handed her a bundle that carried her newborn baby. The boy had red hair and amber eyes as well. Both of their children had taken up their mother's features. Zita smiled happily at her child and felt a tear trickle down her face.  
She kissed his soft and tiny forehead and named him Cirino Auditore after her older brother Cirino D'Angelo.

By the time Aria was five years old and Cirino was two Zita commissioned at least two paintings from different painters. The first from Leonardo and the second from the infamous Botticelli. The mother and children stood in the Angelo Garden posing patiently for the portrait. Little Cirino had a bit of trouble standing up for too long but managed to stay still for the painting.  
Zita smiled and led her children back to the villa.

Ezio was there in her study reading a letter that had the crest of Venice stamped on it. She knew something was up but she didn't know what it was. She held Cirino in her arms while walking up to him. "What is it?" she asked.  
"It's a letter from Antonio telling me to meet him in Venezia. There is something I need to do" Ezio said folding the letter and threw it in an open drawer. Zita knew it was a mission for him. She knew he has to leave her and his children again for the Order. He turned to her with an anxious face and looked down at Aria then at Cirino.

"Ezio" he glanced over to his wife and saw the small smile on her face "Just go, it's your duty as an Assassin" she said. Ezio nodded and placed a kiss on his wife's cheek. "I'll be back right after it is done!" Ezio called out to her and disappeared from the hallway like mist.  
Later Zita was organizing her files by the gardens while her children were playing in the mulberry bushes.  
She had received news that Cesare had become Bishop of Pamplona at the age of 15. By doing that, his dreams of leading an army have been buried deep into his heart. He was now a holy servant and could not be able to join such military force anymore.  
He was also sent to Perugia to study law putting him far away from his family but somewhat closer to Zita.

The latter did not know of this of course for she was busy running a whole town and the three areas that held the headquarters of her condottieri.  
Ezio had left for Venezia leaving her alone and secluded in the villa. She was away from the prying eyes of the people who wanted to harm her for she was Lady of Milan and of Savoy yet her name is nonexistent to the House of Sforza.

It had been a few weeks since Ezio was gone and the people saw the Lady walking down the hallways of her villa patiently waiting for her husband to come back.  
Zita stood there in the glass room where she could see all of Tuscany. She wore a chemise dress with lace sleeves and white shoes.  
Many of her condottieri assured her that he will return swiftly as he had promised. But she had a feeling it would take him longer than he expected.

Another week had passed and all Zita did was to organize the papers and then listen to the lute in her spare time. She rested on a hammock with Aria on her right side and Cirino to her left. They listened to the servant playing the lute for them while eating fresh fruits from the garden.  
Adona suddenly intruded in their session that it made the servant stop his music.

"Someone is here to see you madonna, I don't know his name but he insists that he knows you" she said. Zita carefully got up putting Cirino in Adona's arms while she walked down to the lobby.  
There she saw him. The man she least expects.  
Cesare smiled at Zita when she appeared before him in her chemise dress. Visitors like him weren't welcomed in the villa unless invited but she had and exception for him.  
"What brings you here Father?" Zita said smirking a bit.

"I came to pay my lady a visit, is that a crime?" Cesare said after bowing. "You do know I only allow visitors into my private sanctuary not unless you have a written permission from me" Zita told him sternly. "Spoken like a true Lady of Milan" the latter replied.  
"How dare you speak to Madonna like that!" Andrea spat and placed his hand on his sword however he was stopped by Zita's command to stay down. She glared at him for a moment before turning to the young Bishop.  
"Well it looks like your presence has brought me misfortune. Care to whisk it away for me?" Zita said almost too playfully. "As you wish…madonna" Cesare said lowly and followed Zita into her humble abode.

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CLIFFHANGERS DAMMET! :V

So what do you think? Should I dwell more deeper into this new-found relationship or should I add up some 'evil-Cesare-vibe' to it?

Click on teh review button nao! xD


	16. Motherhood

**WOOT! Pre-lims are over and I'm happy to put this chapter up!**

**Uh so I got a question for you guys...How many more kids do you want Zita and Ezio to have? :D  
**

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The town of Chianciano Terme held its annual summer festival. Many people harvested the summer fruits that the trees bore on that season.  
Zita was one of those to pluck the peaches from their branches and sank her teeth into the soft flesh of the fruit. Her children were out playing while her absent husband has been in Spain for almost a month now.  
She received the letter shortly after Cesare had left to return to his school in Perugia. The young man's visit lasted for three days and it caused quite a stir to some of the servants.

Zita had shown him her most private room ever. It was the glass room that allowed her to see all of Tuscany. No walls enclosed its space just windows and even the ceiling had been made with glass. The key to the room was kept by Zita herself.  
Cesare had asked her if she liked to see such a beautiful land. She smiled at him and nodded. But then his next question made her slightly lose interest in him.

"Do you wish to acquire that land someday?" he asked her while she was scoping the room. Zita was in her black and orange gown with an orange veil to cover her head. She paused from her little stride and looked up at him.  
"You know Cesare," she said quite suddenly "There are only a few men I've met who have interested me with their thoughts on the world, they think of a new land beyond the seas and new life. But you my dear are far more different than them. I'd rather like a man who defends what he has instead of conquering what belongs to others. Tuscany is for the people and I can't let anyone acquire it, not even me."  
Cesare looked at her deeply in the amber eyes. They burned with slight annoyance and defiance but then they softened and the princess returned to her old self.  
"Just don't try to go over your head with such stories. A young man like you shouldn't talk about battles and bloodshed anymore." The bishop soon left after Zita had told him to return to his studies.

Zita sighed and looked around the orchard. The people were rejoicing with the fruits of their labor. Children played happily with each other and lovers kissed quietly behind the peach trees. She felt a bit insecure among them. Her half-eaten peach lay forgotten on the ground. Teodoro approached her and said that there was something wrong with the finance of the condottieri in Paris. It seems that the recent king has left France in such debt that the streets were littered with the poor and the oppressed.

There have also been claims that the mines of Madame Delphine had been raided and nothing was left of it. Zita bit her bottom lip and looked down at Aria who clung to her skirt just the minute she spoke with her assistant.  
"Send some of my diamonds to Paris however put it in an anonymous name. I owe a lot to that city" she said then looked down at her daughter. "Is it alright for you not to wear diamonds like mamma?" she asked her. Aria nodded. "It seems that your daughter has grown more beautiful with each passing day" Teodoro complemented. "I'm pleased you find me pretty, I inherited it from my mamma" Aria replied quite adorably. Zita chuckled and told her to say thank you.

Suddenly she saw Adona running towards them in such haste that she was almost gasping when she reached them. "Adona, what is it?" Zita asked her.  
"Your mother has died"  
Her mother. The one person she never cut ties with no matter how crucial the predicament was. Zita could only gasp and then leaned into Teodoro for support as she cried.  
It was an unhappy week for Zita. She had lost all of her brothers and sister and now her mother. Some of her things were packed up and loaded in the carriage.  
The last time she had seen her mother was when she left for her father's funeral. Now it was her mother's funeral she was going to attend to.

She brought Aria and Cirino with her along with two maids named Celia and Dafne. Andrea and three condottieri volunteered to join her however Zita told him to stay because the villa has to be protected by him. He was in charge while she was gone.  
She called five condottieri to join her instead. The carriage door closed on her and she leaned down to tell her favorite student to "Keep the villa safe until I return".  
Andrea nodded and watched his leader leave the town and disappear from sight. Zita remembered the journey from Vienna to Milan and lastly to Florence.

It was somewhat the same despite how many years have passed. The landform was still the same with its shape and the sky was an awful gray color.  
The journey took two days for them to reach the city of Vienna. The carriage entered the Inner Stadt and finally stopped in front of a manor that belonged to Count Schulz of Austria.  
Zita got down from the carriage carefully carrying little Cirino in her arms. A butler walked up to her and asked her what was her business on the estate. "I am here for my mother's funeral, let me pass" she told him and walked inside the house.

It was much more gloomier inside than out. Everyone standing down the hall turned their heads to see the young woman walking in a mourning gown. She approached the man said to be her mother's husband.  
"Herr Schulz" she said. The said man turned around and narrowed his eyes at her. "And you are?" he asked. "I'm Zita, I am Ambra's daughter" Zita told him.  
"Oh, oh yes. I'm so glad you had the time to come to your mother's funeral" Schulz said gesturing her to enter the room where her mother was. Zita placed her son into Celia's arms and strode into the room. There were three women praying beside the bed where her mother laid.

She too wore dark clothes much like hers. Zita knelt down near her mother and touched her cold hand. "Mamma…" she whimpered and buried her face in the sheets.

The funeral was done in traditional Austrian ways. The family would follow the grave to its burial sight to look at their loved ones before getting buried.  
Zita decided to stay behind and watch the march from her spot by the stairs of the church. It seemed a bit disrespectful for the Austrians but for Zita it was a way to show her mother how strong she was to let go of her death right then and there.

She picked up her son from the ground when he tugged on her skirt and looked back at the march for one last time.  
The house she used to live in was not yet abandoned. The maids she was once familiar with were still there, aged and wrinkly. "Why hasn't this house decayed at all?" Zita asked one of them. "Your mother wanted to keep it like it was after you left. Just in case you wanted to come home to her" the maid answered.

She waited for her return. Zita had been wrong all along. Her mother had been waiting for her because she was all alone much like her.  
Zita walked through those bright hallways again and remembered every bits of memory that etched its walls. The inner garden was still alive and so was her bedroom.

She stood inside there for a long time thinking of the events that suddenly occurred to her. "Celia" she said and the maid appeared by the doorway. "Take all of my mother's clothes, as well as my old clothes then sell this house to the ones who really need it" she told her.  
Celia was a bit surprised at first but then bowed hastily and rushed to tell the other servants. Zita was left to sit in her room all alone and then she made her way to her mother's bedroom.  
Everything was covered in canvas sheets. The portraits were stacked in one place and the vanity table her mother used was covered in dust.  
Zita walked over to it and touched its smooth surface. The mirror itself had been covered by dust and the perfume bottles were left alone and unused.  
"Goodbye mother…"

The following week, a caravan had arrived to take Ambra and Zita's clothes and give it to the poor. The furniture however was going to be moved to Zita's villa while some to Monteriggioni.  
Zita checked every household item was stored in every carriage then told them to go on.  
The caravan split in two. One headed towards Italy while the other to the poor districts of Vienna. She sighed deeply and told her maids to get her children to their carriage to follow the Italian caravan.  
The house looked so deserted. Its entire staff had left and returned to their families after a long period of time of waiting and hoping. Zita got on the carriage with her children and returned to Italy where she truly belongs.

Zita lay there on her bed holding Aria close to her. The child was fast asleep yet her mother was wide awake still shaken from the funeral. It was already dark outside and the town began to light all of their candles in their homes.  
She heard loud horse hooves outside and the noise resonated in the whole room. She slowly got up from the bed careful not to wake her child and went down to the lobby.  
Ezio stood there taking off his glove and bracer. He glanced up seeing his wife by the hallway that led to her bedroom. Her face was so red from crying and so were her eyes.  
"Amore…" Ezio said and waked to embrace her. Zita did and felt him kiss her cheek lightly. "What happened while I was gone?" he asked quietly.  
"My mother has died…" Zita replied and sniffed a bit. Ezio drew back and looked down at her, "I-I'm so sorry I-" "Please don't…I need you" Zita whispered and stood on her toes to plant a kiss on her husband's lips.

Ezio felt her hands go at the back of his head and he didn't need them to go any further. He left her alone for too long but it was somehow wrong.  
He pulled back just in time to breathe and stared down at Zita. He placed a hand on her still flushed cheek and kissed her forehead instead. "Just go rest, I have some things to clear out. I'll join you in a short while" he told her then left for their office.

Zita sighed and went back to the bedroom. Aria shifted a bit in her sleep when her mother returned to bed. Her cat Macaron curled up into a tiny ball by the foot of the bed and little Cirino was fast asleep in his nursery. Everything was normal. Everything was just peaceful.

The year 1492.  
So many things have happened to the city of Firenze. The most dreaded of all news was that Lorenzo de Medici the Magnificent had passed away. Zita and Ezio could only pray from their places in Chianciano Terme and wait for the next events that would occur in their once beloved city. Lorenzo's son Piero has taken over his father's place as ruler of the city.  
Yet there was a nagging feeling that he would last only for a short while.  
It was also in April 14th, 1492 that Zita was found pregnant again.

The Auditore family was growing once more much to Ezio's delight. His family's name would be restored no matter what it takes. A few of the doctors told the couple that they should be careful if ever the events of last time would happen again.  
Zita disliked the memory and prayed that it wouldn't repeat to her for the second time. By the time she was four months pregnant, she had received news that a Templar had taken over as the new Pope. When she had asked who it was they told her the name Rodrigo Borgia.  
Borgia. The name sounded so familiar to her.

Zita blinked and shook her head. "It can't be…" she said to herself as realization hit her. Cesare had been a Templar all along and she didn't even know anything about it. What if Ezio knew? That I have been meeting a Templar while he was gone?  
Numerous thoughts ran through her head that it made her uneasy to the point that she almost collapsed on the floor.

Speaking of Cesare, the young man never wrote to her even when he promised he would. It seems that he was busy with his studies even more now that his father had become Pope.  
If only there was a way to overthrow Rodrigo out of the Papacy without much suspicion. Zita would have done something gladly but since she was too pregnant to even lift a mace she had to stay back until she would give birth.

Then on January 22, 1493 another son was born into the House of Auditore. He was yet another boy who had Zita's features. Red hair and beautiful amber eyes. He was eventually named Giovanni Auditore after Ezio's late father.  
It was also known that Cesare Borgia became a Cardinal at the young age of eighteen. So many rumors have spread across the city of Rome about his illegitimacy. Pope Alexander VI declares that they do not have any relation whatsoever.

In 1494, trouble had ensued between the cities of Naples and of Milan.  
"What is the meaning of this? I know my brother can't even do such a thing to have a quarrel with the ruler of Naples" Zita said, who was already eight months pregnant with her fourth child. Andrea stood there concerned. Zita noted and approached him "Is there something you want to tell me Andrea?" she asked "Madonna…Signore Gian has passed away in Pavia…many have rumored him to be poisoned by his own uncle Ludovico Sforza." Zita stared at him until he could see that her amber eyes glowing in anger.

"Get me a horse! Right now!" she shouted as she went down the stairs of her villa. "Madonna! You are not supposed to ride in that state!" Andrea exclaimed running after his mistress. "My pregnancy doesn't matter right now! What I want is justice! My uncle cannot have the throne that easily! Gian was so young when I first met him!" she bellowed. Zita hurried to the stables and took out her black steed.  
She placed the saddle and reins on quickly much to the horse's displeasure and got on. "Madonna! Let me come with you! Who knows what danger is afoot in the Sforza castle" Andrea said. She gazed down at him then finally agreed.

The two set off to Milan at tremendous speed hoping that they weren't too late. When they arrived, Zita got down from her horse and clutched her swollen belly. The baby had kicked her to notify how rough she was.  
"Mi dispiace little one but just endure a little longer" she said and entered the Milanese court. The guards at the front gates however stopped them. "Let me through" Zita said sternly.  
"What is your business here madonna?" one of them asked her.

"My business is with the Duke not you lowly guards" she hissed. "Madonna not unless you identify yourself you cannot enter the court" he told her, hands grasping the spear he held firmly.  
Zita glared at them and had no other choice.  
She walked down the vast hallways of the castle head raised high yet hands were placed at her sides. Andrea followed her around, his hand on the hilt of his sword. She had to reveal her true name to them in order for her pass.

Her name may have been erased from records but never from the lives of the Milanese nobility.  
She entered the throne room and saw her uncle Ludovico Sforza beside his young wife Beatrice d'Este. "And what do we have here?" Ludovico said aloud that all of the people in the room turned their heads at the woman standing at the doorway.

"Another one of my brother's illegitimate children are we? Ah, I know you you're that little girl Galeazzo writes about. His favorite daughter of all. Tell me, what brings a bastard child like you here in my court?" Ludovico said.  
Zita glared at him ten her lips thinned into a line. "You are currently in a feud with the new King of Naples isn't that right?" she said. The courtiers began to spread their compliments and some stared at the princess. "What do you plan to do?" she taunted him.

The duke let out a laugh and stood up from his throne "Do you know the King of France? Charles VIII?" he said walking his way towards her. "He has claims on that city through his Angevin lineage" then Zita's mind started to click. Her uncle was going to use the King of France to remove Alfonso II, the new king of Naples. "But why? What is this all about?" she questioned him.  
"Ah my dear nipote. Alfonso has his claims on Milan for a very long time and I do not want that, you see" he gripped her arm quite painfully and whispered in her ear "I wish to stay Duke of Milan a little longer before I could give it away to a naïve child" Zita pushed him off her and sneered.  
"You'll understand one day nipote, that you cannot give up something such as this." "I already have Ludovico and I hope not to return to this place any longer" Zita hissed and turned away.

"No matter how hard you try Zita, you are a Sforza! You bear the name of this family!"

His voice echoed amongst the halls and Zita was already heading towards the main lobby of the castle. She slowed down a bit and leaned against a pillar. "Madonna" Andrea supported her yet she shoved him away. "Get away from me! We have to stop the French from invading Italy" she said walking on her own feet again.  
"But how? It is impossible for a woman like you" Andrea told her. She faced him and scowled.  
"I may be a woman but that doesn't mean I do not know how to fight! Do you even realize what kind of men the King of France has? He has my godparents' men! Their army! My uncle is just toying around with everything I worked up for and if that Templar bastard knew that Charles VIII's father had been an ally of the Order then he will find us….and he will kill us."

They got on their horses quickly but Andrea saw that his mistress was going in another direction. "Madonna where are you going?" he questioned her quite frantically. "Where else but France! I have to stop it from its source but if I fail gather all the condottieri in Chianciano Terme and protect the town. It's your duty as my student right?" Zita said pulling on her horse's reins. Andrea bit his lip but nodded after. "Bene. We will see each other soon Andrea, arrivederci" she said and quickly galloped towards the country of France.

The journey had been difficult because of her state. She placed a hand on her womb every now and then and needed to rest, sweat trickled down her forehead in every kick or bump the baby gave. She arrived in Paris early in the morning and stopped at the headquarters of the French Assassins. Zita got off from her horse and latched on to the gates for support.  
She breathed heavily and saw a few condottieri outside the building.

"Aidez-moi! Laissez-moi dedans! (Help me! Please let me in!)" she shouted banging on the iron bars then she collapsed.  
Pain resonated in her whole body and she prayed that her baby was safe.  
When she awoke she was in a room. A woman sat beside her stitching up a torn shirt. She glanced up seeing Zita awake. "Oh I'm glad you have awoken madame, how are you feeling?" she asked her. "A bit sick but I'm alright" Zita replied hoarsely.

The woman nodded and helped her sat up. "My husband will be with you in a short while" she told her and left. Zita glanced to her left and saw a glass of water, she gulped it down almost immediately and sighed.  
Her baby must have been very angry at her. She chuckled and placed her hand on her belly. "Forgive me little one but when all of this is over, I'm going to spoil you as much as I can" she said softly like any mother could be.

A man entered the room and bowed in front of her. "Madame de Chevalier" he said "Monsieur Audric" Zita replied. "What brings our lady here and in such critical state?" Audric asked her. Zita got up from the bed slowly and sighed.  
"Have you heard about the king's plans to invade Italy?" she said, standing up straight to a better position.  
"Oui. (Yes.) We have heard, there are somewhat benefits and there are somewhat consequences to it" he said. "We have to stop it. If Rodrigo Borgia knew that the king's men were Assassin allies he will grow suspicious and he will have all members of the Order killed." Zita told him. "We are aware of that but our source in the Palace cannot alter the King's decision anymore all thanks to a certain Étienne de Vesc" Audric said gaining silence from the latter.

He then pulled out a letter from his coat "Here we have some information about that man's plot to kill the King of France" he told her.  
Zita stared down at the paper and read all its lines. By the time that Charles was to be crowned King of Naples, the Italian states would have to create alliances to overthrow this foreign monarch from their country. Once he has gone off to attack the cities, they will plot his death and France would have no more ruler.

"What do we do? How should we stop this?" Zita questioned him. "Honestly, we can't. All we have to do is watch and wait for any results" the young leader sat down on her bed and ran a hand through her hair.  
So there was no purpose of her presence here? She would just pray and pray that they will be protected through the invasion.  
Zita returned to Italy after three days of rest in France. Her condottieri were all glad to see her but she was not to be home. She had done nothing to prevent such attack in her country.

Suddenly she felt a jolt of pain in her lower half and she fell off her horse. The townspeople were shocked and quickly called for her doctor. They brought her back to the villa and there she had given a premature birth to her fourth child, Maria Isabella Auditore on February 16th 1492.

Isabella may have been a premature baby but she was a very large baby and just like what Zita had said three days prior to her birth she would spoil her as much as she can.  
"Poor little thing. You wanted out so badly didn't you? Well, I'm sorry for what I have done before. I will love you no matter what. You are mines and you will have all my care, you shall share in my happiness and soften my sorrows."

Six days after Isabella's birth, the invasion had begun and it all started in the cities after Lombardy. Many had resisted the French and many had died.  
It was around midnight that they've heard the armies approaching the town. Twenty-five thousand men they say and eight thousand Swiss mercenaries.

Zita sat in her glass room with her children. Aria who was now eight years old wrapped her arms around her mother's arm, Cirino was resting his head on her mother's lap wailing, Giovanni and Isabella were in the care of their nursemaids.  
The babies were unaware of the invasion so they slept soundly but it was Cirino that was more alert to the dangers. He kept crying on Zita's lap while his mother stared intently at the glass windows before her. She could see the torches of the army coming closer to the town.

There was a loud banging noise and it came from outside the door. Adona gulped and hurried to open it however the person who had entered surprised Zita.  
Ezio came in and saw his wife and children hiding in the infamous glass room. He bent down to embrace his wife and then planted a kiss on Aria's head. "But what about your villa?" "Uncle Mario has taken care of it. They say they'll avoid the towns depending on the generals and the King" Ezio said.

"Ezio I failed, I tried to stop it but I-" "Be quiet now amore…" Zita's lip quivered and held the crying Cirino closer to her. She kept muttering words to calm him but the little boy was so sensitive to the noise. Suddenly the noise of the army grew louder and louder. They could see it all from that room and gradually the army passed and soon all they heard was silence.  
They later on heard news that Naples gave up their state and crowned Charles the King of Naples.

Zita sat there in the nursery with her four children. She taught Aria how to be kind to the poor people and how she should give her old toys to the children who needed it.  
The little girl was also educated by various teachers who knew art, literature, history, math and poetry. Ezio had also took much delight in spoiling his eldest daughter not knowing what it would do to Isabella in the future.

Cirino was a rather sickly child, he had cases of fever every now and then but they would disappear over a long period of time. When he will turn sixteen, Ezio would take him under his wing and teach him how to be an Assassin someday.  
Zita had asked Leonardo for another family portrait with all of her children. The artist was glad and was even excited to see the newborn Isabella.  
"My, she certainly looks like Ezio" Leonardo complimented when he saw the child. "She really does. No wonder I'm drawn to her" Zita said smiling.

And so the portrait was made. Zita sat on a red chair with a cushion at her feet. She wore a red dress matching her hair that was tied to a bun and covered by an ornamented snood.  
Aria was beside her wearing a similar red dress wrapping her arms around her mother's while looking up at her. Cirino was in front of Isabella's crib lifting the cover for her while Giovanni sat on Zita's lap wondering at the pretty things he saw.

Zita felt happy to be a mother, even if it meant to ride across the peninsula eight-months pregnant. She was happy at last.  
The Auditore family had grown and now Ezio had began his plans on his children's future.  
He wished for his eldest child to become an educated woman and marry a proper nobleman that could support her in all of her needs. For Cirino, he wanted him to inherit the Assassin name and be able to take over when Ezio retires. As for Giovanni and Isabella, he just has to wait until they've grown.

It was 1497. It had been three years since the invasion of the French into Italy. Charles had been sent back to France without much harm, Zita was pleased and Ezio still has plans to take the Apple from Savonarola who had ruled Firenze for a long period of time.  
He would have to get into the city undetected and meet up with his allies from inside. Zita told him that she would go with him as well since they were not familiar with her anymore.  
Ezio told her to stay since she was still recovering from the last birth. The doctor advised her not to travel by horse anymore since it will endanger more births in the future, if there were any more depending on Ezio and Zita but most likely on the husband.

"Let me walk with you before you go" Zita said to Ezio as she helped him put on his black Assassin robes on. So many visible scars on his body were shown and Zita wondered if some of them were the fights back in Venice.  
Ezio turned around and tied the belt around his waist. He put his hood up and his eyes were now gone under the shadows of it.  
Zita escorted him to the entrance of the town and watched him get on his horse. "Peace and safety caro mio" she said "To you as well amore" Ezio replied and turned away.

Zita did the same and walked back to her villa, she glanced back a bit seeing her husband go further away from the town and vanish. It felt oddly familiar to her but she didn't mind it.  
That Zita many years ago was dead and the one walking down this trail was a new one ready to take on more of life's challenges.  
As a princess, a leader, a mother and a wife.

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**PREVIEW:**

**Zita peeked through the crevice of the door and hurriedly ran out of the room she was hiding. Her gown was loose and her hair in disarray.  
She had been so intoxicated with the wines and smell of roses and that mysterious flower that she became its victim even if she didn't meant to. Zita hurried through the dark hallway and heard voices on the other end. She sharply turned to the right hall but then a door suddenly opened and Cesare pulled her inside.**

She laughed uncontrollably when he wrapped an arm around her waist and dragged her into the room. She was soon silenced by a pair of lips on hers and a quiet push to the bed.

FUDGE YEAH

Reviews?**  
**


	17. Aphrodisiac

Oh! Oh! Oh! Birthdays! xD

**Maria Aria Theresa Auditore**- November 14th 1486

**Cirino Auditore**- September 4th 1489

**Giovanni Gregorio Auditore**- January 22, 1493

**Maria Isabella Auditore**- February 16th 1494 (yeah I made a typo in the last chapter)

FYI: If you really really really really love to do research and you might get confused with this chapter go check wikipedia and search for Giovanni Borgia (1498)...yep.

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It was yet another beautiful morning on the province of Tuscany.  
The farmers began harvesting the wheat of the season and sold it to the other towns to earn some florins while the others sold it to their Madonna who lived in the villa on top of the hill surrounded by nature.  
The villa was also surrounded by several houses of her condottieri. There was even a training area for boys who wish to become mercenaries. The lady of the town was happy to take them under her wing until they've learned to master basic abilities. She was also the financer of the town, always checking its balance and see to it that some of its places were renovated.

In her office Zita Auditore had received reports of a mine discovered by Audric and his men. He has now hired several miners to dig it up and hope that the French Assassins would have a bit of income of their own. Because of the recent invasion, taxes were to be paid in high prices yet Zita made hers the same.  
She also had to pick up more armor in Roma for learning mercenaries.  
Zita wore a white gown with a pale green coat, a pair of green shoes and a green veil. She even brought along her children just for the fun of it.

Roma wasn't what it used to be, Zita noted. There were so many poor people lining up the streets begging for food and money.  
"You see that Aria? You have to think twice before eating your food, there are many who never get to eat anything in their lives" Zita said to eleven-year-old Aria. "Si mamma" Aria replied. "That's a good girl" Zita kissed the top of her daughter's head lightly "Oh Cirino don't stick your head out the window you might hit something."

There were many interesting establishments in every piazza for instance there was this merchant that sold a strange drink Zita tried. It was a bit bitter but it somehow gave her a relaxed feeling. She bought some of it and was excited to try it back home.  
"Something seems to have caught my lady's attention once again" Zita glanced up slowly seeing the twenty-two year old Cesare in his Cardinal attire. His hair has grown long and he was beginning to sport a beard. It was Zita's turn to speak. "Hello Cesare" she said almost strictly.

She had to be careful around him, one wrong move and the Order will be discovered. Cesare looked down and saw the two children latching on to Zita's hands.  
"She's very beautiful" Cesare said referring to Aria.  
"I'm pleased you find me so Signore thank you" Aria replied bowing a bit. Cesare chuckled and put his attention back to Zita. She looked a bit gruff ever since their last meeting but nevertheless she was still beautiful to him.

"I hope that you were alright during the invasion" he said "I was. The French didn't think attacking a small town like that would benefit them" Zita replied smirking. "They just didn't know what they were missing" the young Cardinal replied.  
Zita smiled at him then chuckled flashing her teeth at the man. "How is it that after all these years, you can still identify me?" she asked him. "Truthfully, I do not know. We probably have a connection" Cesare told her.

"We do? Now you're just fooling with me young man" she said almost too teasingly. "I'm not" Cesare was the one who smirked this time. Zita bit her lip in a rather shy way and looked down at the ground. "I'm having an annual party at my villa, I hope you have time to come by and maybe have a little drink with me?" she said. "I always have time madonna, I'll even think of it like a break from all of the masses and preaches from our dearly beloved Pope" Cesare said. The two stood there oblivious to the fact that many people were pointing and staring at them.

"Well…I'll see you a day from now Signore" Zita bowed her head and left for Calvino's headquarters. The armors she had bought were lightweight for the youngsters while others were merely for the protection of the knees, elbows and shoulders. "Alright these are good enough, how is life here in Roma?" Zita asked after checking. "Seen worse than this. The plague is all over the place, killed some of my men just a month after the invasion, best you get your kids out of here before they get killed too" Calvino said spitting on the floor after speaking. "Why Calvino I never knew you were very concerned for our health" Zita said in a mocking tone almost laughing halfway. "Whatever. Now get out before I spit on you too" he said.  
The mother and children walked out of the shop and went back to their carriage to return home bringing along new things with them. Aria played with the porcelain doll she held while Cirino made clashing noises with his toy soldiers.

They returned to the villa in time for lunch. They had ribollita, some Florentine steak and mashed potatoes. While they were dining in Zita's private room, the servants were busy decorating the ballroom as well as the other hallways of the whole place.  
Zita had been reading a phrase in Dante Alighieri's book to Giovanni when a servant girl came into the nursery. "Madonna there are a group of people who wish to speak with you" she said and added "They say they are from Firenze" Zita put her son down beside Isabella and walked out of the room and to the lobby of the villa. Two condottieri followed her from behind as she descended down the stairs hastily and what she saw below surprised her the most.

"Beatrice?" Zita exclaimed and ran towards her friend. "Zita? Is that you dear?" Beatrice said gathering up her skirts and ran up to hug her friend. "Oh I missed you!" Zita said "Oh I missed you too! Have you been here for a long time?" she asked. "Not really, I've travelled for most of the years but I decided to settle down here and take care of my family" Zita told her.  
Beatrice had grown to be a beautiful woman just like she was before. She was married to a nobleman and had two daughters yet he had left her for another woman younger than she. "Come in, bring your daughters as well. I'll tell my servants to fix a room for all of you then come meet me in my office" Zita told them.

Her office had a lot of decorations but the most stunning was the glass chandelier that hung in the middle of the ceiling. There was also a flag that had the Auditore family crest. Two family portraits were hung on the right side of the room. The first being the one with Uccello and the second was the whole family. Zita was standing near the window sipping the caffé she bought. The door creaked open to let Beatrice in. Zita put down her cup and told her to sit down.

Once they were settled Zita handed her a plate full of macarons and petit fours. "They came all the way from France. I've even hired a French chef to cook some of our meals here. Italians and French have really different tastes when it comes to food" Zita said putting the plate down after Beatrice took one. "Indeed" Beatrice replied.  
"So tell me, how is Firenze nowadays?" the Lady of the town asked her friend.

"Terrible" was Beatrice's answer. "Very?" Zita raised an eyebrow "Si" Beatrice nodded. She told her about the new rules and regulations plus the book burning. She even told her about how the boys of Savonarola took all of her make-up and threw them into the fires.  
"I've even heard that Cristina Vespucci got killed when she refused to give up her gowns and her paintings" Beatrice said in a low whisper. Cristina Vespucci, one of Ezio's past love affairs got herself killed just because of vanity. Zita shook her head and sipped on her caffé again.

"But what about the girls? Are they safe?" she asked. "Of course they are. Gisella moved to Roma just recently while Diamante and Giada were moved to Naples to avoid anymore trouble. The nobilities were wanted there and those who resisted the monk all die a terrible death."  
Zita nodded and asked her friend one final question "And Fiore de' Pazzi?" Beatrice shook her head at her. "Two years after you disappeared, the Pazzi tried to kill Lorenzo de Medici but failed. Everyone of the conspirators were killed including Vieri and his father who was the one that killed Lorenzo's brother" Beatrice told her.

"And about Fiore? She ran off just the night her father and brother left for San Gimignano, she's now in one of the convents here in Tuscany, I pity her actually. She's the only surviving Pazzi in her family." Zita did pity Fiore too, she imagined a frightened Fiore while her father and brother were discussing about the assassination of the Medici ruler. The thoughts of murder had been long gone from her head ever since the Corsa di Cavallo many years ago. Now she was a nun who wanted to repent all of her sins.

"By the way Bice, I'm going to hold an annual summer party here in my villa. I require everyone to wear their best outfits to date" Zita said. "That's lovely! I'd love to attend!" Beatrice exclaimed clapping her hands a bit. "Alright, I'll call my dressmaker to have the gowns made for us and our children" the girls stood up and discussed more interesting topics.  
Zita had sent letters days ahead to her friends from Venice.

She had even used her real name on them. Beatrice and Zita were in the dressing room choosing various fabrics from the dressmaker and they've also bought some new shoes and jewelry.  
"Oh I love this one it's very lovely" Zita said and browsed through the many shoes displayed. A bottle of presecco was also opened for them to drink while waiting for their gowns to be finished. Cakes and other sweets were also served. "Do these suit me?" Zita asked raising a pair of ruby earrings at Beatrice "They really do" the latter replied.

After that the two women went to Zita's farm. "Welcome to my little paradise!" Zita said, she wore her simple chemise dress while Beatrice wore one borrowed from her closet.  
"Oh look the chickens are out!" Beatrice pointed out. A maid came and poured a bucket of cow's milk into a ceramic teapot then brought it to Zita's table. "Here have some of this" Zita told her friend. They both drank and Beatrice smiled "It's very delicious!" she said.

After which they took a break and sat on the warm grasses with baby's breath surrounding them. "Zita, how did you do it?" Beatrice asked her.  
"Do what?" Zita said turning her head to her friend's direction. "All of this. You're ruling a small town, you have a beautiful villa and a wonderful family. I envy you, really I do" Zita smiled at her and told her she had earned everything through hard work no matter how much painful it was everything was worth it.

The day of the party has arrived and many guests of nobility have been invited to mingle with the middle and working class. Zita wore a pale yellow gown over her striped chemise dress with some diamonds on the bodice. Her hair was tied to a loose bun that a few strands of her hair fell to her shoulders, real flowers ornamented her hair. She wore no earrings but a diamond necklace adorned her neck. Bottles of champagne were opened. Thousands of candles were lit and the gambling tables were open.

Ezio was there but found it a bit difficult to stay by his wife's side as she transferred from one noble to the other.  
She was speaking to one man when she laughed so hard that her hair nearly touched the candles behind her. Ezio managed to stop her in time and she looked back smiling at him. He smiled too then blew the candles out.

The party continued on until the middle class went home. The nobles stayed to have a bit more fun before leaving. Ezio had to go back to Monteriggioni for some unfinished business.  
"Can't you stay even for a tad bit longer?" Zita asked him. "Forgive me amore, but I have to get ready for another mission tomorrow morning plus its half-past ten" Ezio said, he kissed his wife tenderly and bid her goodbye. She sighed and leaned against the door.

"Oh Zita! You should come meet this man he's quite hilarious!" Celia exclaimed from inside the room. Zita returned inside and saw the man Celia was talking about. "Well, now you get more interesting young man" Zita said smirking. Cesare sat there on her white couch with Celia beside him and another young girl by the name of Antonia.  
"How did you get inside without using the front door?" Zita asked him.  
"Simple I used the back, I wanted to surprise you" Cesare answered "Very clever of you" she remarked.

The party went on until three in the morning. Zita had told them to follow her further up the hill to watch the sunrise. They put on their capes and headed up. Zita and her group composed of Cesare, Celia, Beatrice, Ferdinand and Antonia all went to the top and sat there to await the beautiful scenery.  
When the sun rose Ferdinand opened the bottle of champagne surprising some of the girls and poured some on everyone's glass. "Happy summer everyone" Zita said raising her glass to the orange-red sky. "Happy summer to you too Zita" they replied.

Her circle of friends were often there to keep Zita company whenever her husband was away to govern his own town or when she holds a party. The rooms were always occupied by people and the servants had to clean it three times a week.  
One particular evening Beatrice, Celia, and Zita were resting in the Drawing Room nibbling on fresh berries and peaches. "I heard there's a carnival in the city of Roma, much like Venezia" Celia said waving her feathered fan around. "Oh I miss my home so much" she groaned leaning back against the couch even more. Zita was organizing her papers after checking the finance of her town. It was still balanced and thoughts of a new gown entered her mind.

"Well we could all go and pretend its Venezia without the waters" Beatrice told them. All three girls smiled and got excited.  
Beatrice wore an all white costume. Her hair was brushed up to an updo with white roses in her black hair. Her mask was made of ivory and her white gown was of the finest silk.  
Celia wore an emerald green gown with gold embroidery. Her brown hair was covered by peacock feathers and her mask was green and gold as well.

Lastly as for Zita she wore an all black costume that made her ruby red hair stand out. The sleeves of her gown were made of lace and satin and her mask was uniquely painted on her face making her amber eyes more visible to them. They rode on a carriage and headed straight for Roma.  
It was exactly like Venezia but without the waters. Every street was crowded with performers and entertainers. Courtesans lined the sides waiting for a customer to come by. Everyone was laughing, dancing to the music and enjoying each other.

The girls were awed by the fireworks and jugglers. Zita however saw someone familiar in the crowd. "You know I've noticed that boy has a very familiar look in his eye whenever he looks at you" Celia whispered to her. "Who? Cesare? No, I'm married" Zita retorted. Nevertheless Celia nudged her "Try to spice up your life a bit. You might never know what could happen" she said and walked away to speak with a nobleman.

Cesare was the only one without a mask on. He leaned against the wall talking to a girl with a cup of wine in hand. Zita noticed the conversation wasn't going well with the bored expression on Cesare's face.  
He however had seen her the very moment she appeared to him. Cesare excused himself from the girl and walked towards the lady.  
"Were you making any progress with her?" Zita asked him.  
"Not really" Cesare replied "I'm far more interested in making progress with you" he said. "Oh?" Zita said smirking.  
She was about to turn away when Cesare held her hand. "Where are you going?" he asked. "I'm in need of fresh air for a second, I'll come back so don't worry" she assured him and went off to a less crowded area.

The sounds of cheering and laughter soon died out and she was now in a dark alley. Zita wondered how she ended up there. She suddenly heard footsteps behind her and she got tensed. Zita gathered up her skirts and ran down the cobbled streets hoping to escape her pursuer but then something jumped out from the alley and took her away.  
The kidnappers threw the woman on the ground rather roughly that Zita had bruised her shoulder against the pavement. Her painted mask was smeared and she glanced up seeing a young man.  
"Is this what I've been paying you for? Insolent fool" the man grumbled. "She was alone Signore Giovanni so I took the opportunity" the kidnapper told him.

Giovanni? Where did she hear that name before? She looked hard into his face and knew it from somewhere. "Wait, I know you" Giovanni said then a wide grin appeared on his face "Why you're that woman Cesare brought to his room all those years ago and now you've come back to warm his bed again?" Zita sneered at him.  
"I never slept with your brother and I never will! Now let me go!" Zita exclaimed. "Why should I? Now's my chance to get to know you Signora in a very 'different' way" Giovanni smirked. "Tie her hands together! Make sure she doesn't scream!" he told his attendant. "What are you doing? Let me go!" Zita screamed but found a material covering her mouth and prevented her from screaming even louder.

A servant tied her hands up with a rope while Giovanni pulled her legs apart. "After I'm done with you I'll make sure I'll bring your bodice back to Cesare" Giovanni said who began to loosen his pants.  
Zita closed her eyes shut thinking back everything she had done in the past and asked forgiveness for the sins she had committed. Just then she heard a loud grunt and a sword had passed through Giovanni's chest. Zita gasped in fright and her chest heaved uncontrollably.

Cesare pulled his sword out and attacked the attendant without fail. Zita calmed herself and sat up from the ground, Cesare helped her out of her binds and her hand practically flew around his neck. Zita shuddered a bit and tears rolled down her face but soon she pulled Cesare with her to the side to dodge an attack from Giovanni.  
"Cesare! You will pay for this! Traitor! How dare you kill your own brother! I am the Duke of Gandia!" Giovanni exclaimed swinging his sword aimlessly. "You dare kill me…just so you can obtain my titles as Captain General of the Church? Don't you even dare try to fool me! It's been your greatest wish and this is your chance! Your opening!" He exclaimed.

Cesare slowly got up from the ground and approached his brother. "No brother…" he pulled him to a brotherly embrace then stabbed him in the gut with a dagger.  
"I killed you because you have hurt the one who has brought light into my dark world…" Cesare watched as his brother fell to the ground. Zita sat there shocked visible on her face. She had witnessed the murder of Giovanni Borgia, the son of the Pope. Cesare turned around to face her and the tension returned. Would he kill her for seeing this? Zita pressed her back against the wall when he stood in front of her then kneeled down on one knee.

Cesare reached out a hand to her. She closed her eyes and winced but was surprised when nothing happened. Instead Cesare was looking at the bruise caused by the fall. He slowly leaned forward and rest his head on her shoulder.  
"Signore Cesare!" his guards came and saw the bodies on the ground. Cesare stood up to face them. "Dump his body into the river and make sure no one else knows about this" he ordered. "Yes Signore" they replied and hurried to pick up the body of Giovanni.

Zita looked up at him concerned "Come, let's get you fixed" Cesare helped her up and used another street to his palazzo. All of his servants were quiet all throughout. He had led her to his room where he would fix her wound instead.  
Zita washed her face thoroughly until she was alright. She wiped her face clean with a towel and took off her black gown to reveal her white chemise dress.  
She stepped out of the bathroom with a towel in front of her and sat down on the bed. Zita saw that Cesare's hands were shuddering a bit and he cursed under his breath whenever something fell out of his hand.

"Here let me" Zita said "I can handle this, you rest for awhile…I'm sure this wasn't what you had in mind" Cesare said dabbing ointment on a piece of cloth. "Danger can squeeze through my schedule anytime of the day" Zita replied smirking a bit.  
Cesare walked over to the bed and pulled Zita's chemise down a bit. The woman turned away to let him get a better view.  
Only silence arose from the two of them. Abruptly Zita felt something around her waist and she looked down seeing hands wrapped around her. Cesare pressed his forehead against her back and she felt his breath tickling her skin.

"Cesare?" Zita said looking back at him "Please…don't move" Cesare whispered. She knew what was happening, she was just surprised that's all.  
Zita turned around to face him and look deep into his eyes. "I killed my brother…my own brother…" she placed her hands on the sides of his face and tried to smile.  
"You did what you had to do…you saved me so I thank you…" Cesare gradually leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers.

Zita sat there unable to decide. He just wants to forget everything has happened, she thought. Cesare's hand slowly crawled up to the back of her head and deepened the kiss suddenly he backed away surprising Zita.  
"Forgive me…I didn't know what I was doing" he said and quickly got off the bed. Zita nodded her understand and put on her black gown again. Cesare had called for a carriage to bring her back home to Chianciano Terme. It was already half past three in the morning, the sun was about to rise as always.  
Zita looked back at Cesare for a second then entered the carriage. As she returned to her town, she stretched her hand outside to feel the cool air rushing past her. They didn't exchange much word since then.

On June 17th Zita received an invitation about a party in Grosseto. It was a simple one much like Zita's, the guests was required to wear a simple outfit. She decided to wear a pink gown made of silk taffeta. She opened her old jewelry case seeing her pink sapphire necklace. She also picked up her pink feathered fan and smiled at her reflection.  
"Aria, come here" she said to her daughter. The young girl ran up to her and the mother embraced her firmly.  
"Do you see this?" Zita said picking up the rather expensive necklace from its case. Aria nodded. "One day your daughter will wear this and someday her daughter will too. I want you to keep that in mind alright? My mother gave this to me when I turned thirteen, I shall do the same to you when you've reached that age too" she kissed the top of her daughter's head lightly and put on her necklace.

She arrived at Grosseto by evening. There were many people in dark colored attires that Zita contrasted all of them. She approached the palazzo where the letter had said and she heard strange music coming from inside.  
In the courtyard she was shocked to see a lot of young women dancing half-naked. Zita walked by them trying to avoid whatever trouble she might get caught in and stood near the rose bushes. A servant handed her a gold cup of wine and she gladly took it.  
Zita shifted her eyes from time to time and avoid the drunkards that wanted to speak to her. Who was the one who invited her here? Was it a mistake? She sipped her wine and found it quite different. It tasted somewhat sweet. Now that she mentioned it, the air smelled sweet as well like the roses were giving off their best scents.

"I'm so glad you came to my party Signora" she turned around quickly almost bumping into Cesare in the process. "Party?" Zita repeated. "This is your party?" she said shaking her head when it abruptly felt light.  
"Si. How do you like it?" Cesare asked her "Strange…but a bit different…" Zita said. "How different?" Cesare said in a low whisper that his breath caressed her skin.  
He tipped her cup forward for her to drink from it again and Zita could see that her vision suddenly became hazy. People were passing by her in shades of colors and voices of laughter filled the air.

By now Zita had fallen victim to the aphrodisiac that Cesare had placed in her drink. Her pink gown was now loose and her hair was in disarray. She was playing a hide and seek game with the young women. The one who gets caught will be severely punished by their captors.  
Zita peeked through the crevice of the door and came out of the room she was hiding. She heard the last girl scream in delight when one man followed her into a room.  
She ran down the hall as quickly as she could and turned sharply to the right until one door opened and Cesare pulled her in. His arm wrapped around her waist gave her a tingling sensation that made her giggle uncontrollably.

Cesare closed the door shut and silenced her laughter with a kiss. He pushed her slowly to the bed and slowly untied the knots that held her gown together.  
Zita looked at him through half-lidded eyes and had the strength to speak. "What are you doing?" she said. Cesare glanced up at her then smiled "Making love to you" his answer was so simple that Zita muttered 'oh' and groaned when Cesare started to trail kisses down to her stomach.  
Now this was a sin neither of them will confess until one of them gives up.

Zita lazily woke up to the sound of people shouting out their products outside. She turned to her side to block them out however she felt something warm go down her side. She opened her eyes again to see Cesare sleeping beside her naked.  
He too woke up and saw Zita looking at him confused. "It was aphrodisiac…your mind was weak caro mio" he said pulling her closer to him. However she sat up quickly pulling the sheets to cover her bare chest. "Whatever happened between us…will only be known by us…and no one else" Zita told him strictly the young man laughed and traced her jaw line with his callous fingers. "Of course caro mio…" Zita put on her chemise and gown once more with the help of Cesare, when she turned around he sneaked a kiss from her. She was unmoved by it.  
He escorted her to her carriage and kissed her cheek softly. "We will see each other again soon…" he whispered in her ear. Zita looked up at him then rode on the carriage hoping she wouldn't see his face anymore after what they've been through.

"I hate you Cesare…" was what Zita said when she discovered it weeks after her encounter with the Borgia. She was pregnant. Yes, the wife of an Assassin was impregnated by a Templar Knight. What could she say to Ezio? How could she say it? She was his wife and yet she allowed that silly potion to work on her!  
Zita paced around her bedroom in her pale green robe. "No one is supposed to know this you hear?" she told her servant boy Pedro who nodded reluctantly.  
"Tell Ezio I'm going away for a while…to Villa Poca in Veneto. I'm bringing Isabella with me to keep me company. Make up any excuses just so he can't see me!" Zita exclaimed almost crying. "I failed you padre…I'm so sorry I allowed all of this to happen" she said in a low tone.

Zita put on her dark amethyst gown, a rare color in her closet, black veil and black satin gloves. She travelled to Veneto with Isabella as said and stayed there until the child would be born.  
She had at least nine months to think of a plan. Whether to keep the child and claim it as an orphan or…tell Cesare of the truth.

Ezio did eventually come to the villa six months after Zita's departure. He asked every mercenary there where his wife was but they all answered that they do not know. He entered the villa to check on his children instead. Aria hugged her father warmly and so did Cirino and Giovanni. "Hey how are my warriors?" Ezio said referring to his sons. "I'm good papa" Cirino replied "Me too!" little Giovanni jumped. Their father chuckled and glanced at Aria.

"Where has your mother gone? The condottieri outside won't tell me anything" he said. "Mamma said she's going away for a while, I don't know for how long but she did bring Isabella with her" Aria explained. Ezio suddenly heard a gasp and he looked back seeing nothing.  
He shrugged it off and looked back at his daughter. "By the way I have something for you" Ezio threw something at her direction and she caught it easily.  
"It's a coin that's three hundred years old, I found it with the codex page" he said.

"It's amazing papa, can I have it?" Aria asked "Anything for my figlia" he replied. Aria smiled at her father and looked at the gold coin in her hands. "Papa now that you mention it, you'll do anything for me right?" she said. Ezio nodded and let her continue "…I want to be an Assassin just like you" just when Aria said those words her father had the complete look of shock all over his face.

"An Assassin?" he scoffed "Aria, you may be the eldest child but I cannot allow my daughter to become an Assassin, it does not suit a woman like you!" "Neither does mamma! But why does she get to carry heavy weapons or smash people's face in? How come I can't?" Aria exclaimed.  
Ezio sighed and scratched his head "Now is not the time to discuss this, we will wait until your mother returns and we shall know of it" he said sternly "This is so…unfair!" Aria stomped her foot on the floor and retreated to her bedroom. Ezio called out to his daughter but found a loud slamming to be his answer.

He felt something tug on his pants and he looked down to see Giovanni. "When is mamma going to come home?" he asked his lip quivering. Ezio knelt down on one knee and patted his son's head "She'll be back soon so for now you have to show me that you are a strong warrior…capisca?" "Capisca!" Giovanni exclaimed. "Bene now let's go watch some target practice!" Ezio said to his boys.

The days in San Doná were gloomy. The clouds were dark as a storm came towards the town. Zita sat in front of the open window the harsh winds blowing at her weakened form.  
Suddenly the windows were closed. "Madonna you shouldn't sit in front of an open window, you'll catch a cold!" the woman was none other than Lotte who had volunteered to come with her mistress at such crucial time. Zita sat in her chair six months pregnant.

She smiled at Lotte and assured her she was alright "That's what you've always told me but where did you end up?" Lotte sighed then heard someone calling for her "Madre, can't you take care of Isabella this time?" her ten-year-old son Gustavio said carrying thee-year-old Isabella in his arms.  
"You did say you wanted to tag along so this is what you get for now" Lotte reprimanded him. Gustavio groaned and carried the girl back to her nursery.

"Isabella is a very big baby don't you think?" Zita nodded then chuckled sweetly "I guess I ate too much Florentine steak while I was pregnant with her" she said.  
"Maybe or she is just filled with your love" the woman sighed and placed a hand on her belly. "You know, so many have warned me not to travel while in this state but do I listen? No…I can't believe it has come to this…" Lotte frowned and kneeled down in front of her lady.  
"No madonna, everything always has its purpose and also, it's never a child's fault that he or she is born into this world so don't take your hatred out on the child like most mothers do nowadays" she said.

Zita smiled at her loyal maid and patted her hand in thanks.  
"Madonna" a young servant girl entered her room, "Someone by the name of Cesare is here to see you" Zita quickly got up and Lotte followed her mistress as she always had.  
Cesare stood at the bottom of the stairs with a group of guards behind him. Zita was surprise at first but became relaxed after. The young man, now twenty-three, climbed up the stairs and stopped just a step below Zita. He bent down to kiss her hand and then gazed back into her eyes.

"So you have received my letter" Zita said. "Yes I have" Cesare replied and stood beside her this time. How did he get so tall? Zita thought as she gazed up at him. She felt his gloved hand touch her womb and she looked away.  
"I plan to hand over the child to you once it has been born. If they ever ask for the mother, tell them she had died through childbirth" Zita told him. "Actually" Cesare said quite confidently "I plan on something else."  
Zita made her distance a little farther from him. "What do you propose?" she questioned him. "You already said it" Zita stood there stunned. He plans to marry her even though she's married herself? "What kind of sick joke is this? I will not dare betray my own husband!" she shouted "Oh but you did already Zita, through our child…" Cesare suddenly grabbed Zita's wrist and pulled the gold ring on her finger.

"No!" he shoved her quite harshly and she fell to the floor on her backside. "Madonna!" Lotte exclaimed and wrapped her arms around her mistress to protect her from the Borgia. Cesare smirked flipping the ring in midair like a coin and turned away.  
"Fine! You may take my ring or annul my marriage but you can never take away my love for Ezio!" she shouted but then her hands moved to cover her mouth. "What have I done?" she muttered and saw Cesare slowly look back. "Ezio you say? **THE** Ezio Auditore da Firenze?" he said taking slow steps towards her.

"Get away from madonna!" Lotte exclaimed running up to Cesare but she was easily pushed away with one toss. The maid hit the floor with a thud and Zita was left open.  
"So your husband is the famed Assassin my father has been so irritated about? This is the greatest opportunity I've been waiting for! I finally have his wife in my grasp so easily like this, I can almost feel the victory of killing that Assassin and displaying his head on a silver platter in front of all the people in Roma" Cesare said towering over the woman.  
"And you Zita…will be his downfall" He was about to utter more words when he heard a noise just up ahead. Gustavio was there at the doorway with little Isabella by his feet.  
"Mamma!" Isabella said aloud.

Zita shook her head violently and tears ran down her face. "Gustavio! Bring Isabella inside and hide!" Lotte shouted at her son. The boy picked up the child quickly and ran back inside the villa. Cesare stood up straight and started to follow the children inside.  
"Don't you dare touch my child!" Zita shouted as she followed Cesare. He looked back at her then narrowed his eyes at her "If you do…I'll kill myself…along with this child" she said.  
Zita inched closer to the edge of the stairs, sweat trickling down her face mixing with her tears. The man approached her again and held her wrist firmly "If you can kill your own child that is" he said and then let her go to descend down the stairs. A clinking sound followed and Zita saw her wedding ring on the floor.

"I will be back on the ninth month to witness the birth of my child and if you try to kill it then I won't hesitate to kill you as well" he said.  
Zita collapsed on the floor and cried frenziedly at everything she had experienced now and the next months.

On the eve of March of 1498.  
Screams of agony were heard outside the white villa.  
The guards that were there shook their heads in pity and continued their little gambling with each other. Servants went in and out of their mistress' bedroom carrying bundles of clean sheets that were quickly stained red after.

Cesare Borgia stood outside the room seeing one maid's hands covered in bloodied sheets. Another scream from Zita made him peer through the gap of the door.  
Lotte tried her best to calm her mistress but the pain was too unbearable and she was loosing too much blood. "I can see the head madonna, just hold on a bit longer!" the doctor said.  
Zita groaned in pain and gripped the sheets hard. She gave another push and felt herself opening up. She screamed again and the doctor called for more towels.

Once she gave the final push she passed out.  
"Quickly! Open the windows! She has lost consciousness" the doctor exclaimed. Lotte and the other maids tore open the windows. Cesare entered the bedroom and went directly to Zita's side.  
The cool air touched her skin and the woman woke up to see the father of the child.  
A nursemaid walked up to them and handed them a bundle of a crying baby. "It's a boy Signore" Zita lay there wishing that she had bore a girl. A son born to the House of Borgia. It was like she had added Ezio's enemies and it was entirely her fault.

Cesare stood up to hold his son and he smiled widely. He looked down at Zita and slowly handed her the child. Zita felt some sort of compassion coming from the man and she took her child gently. When she saw her child a smile was plastered on her face.  
He had dark hair much like his father, dark eyes and fair skin. She smiled sweetly at her baby boy and kissed his forehead like she always did to her children.  
"I wish to name him Giovanni…" Zita muttered and looked up at Cesare concerned. The man didn't show any signs of disagreement so she quietly appreciated him.

Three weeks later Zita was seen in her bedroom cooing her child. She wore her favorite pale green robes and underneath was her pink nightgown. Giovanni Borgia wore a white dress-like attire with a white bonnet. She smiled sweetly at him and fixed his little hat.

"You adorable little thing, you may be born under his name but you Giovanni are no different than my other children" she said.  
A woman much older than she walked inside followed by a different nursemaid who picked up little Giovanni and carried him away.  
"I would like to feed him myself please!" Zita called out. "But madonna, you are in no condition to do such thing, what you need is rest" the woman said and walked out of the bedroom.  
Zita frowned and gazed outside the window of her bedroom thinking about the family that she had left back in Tuscany


	18. Fallen Laurel

Shet this is so short I apologize if it is rushed...

I passed my pre-lims! :D

* * *

December of 1489  
Zita stood there outside just meters away from the room of the Pope. She was wearing a white gown with pearls on the bodice and sleeves. She also wore a white veil to cover her head and conceal the color of her hair from them.  
She carried little Giovanni Borgia in her arms and he was wearing a similar attire to Zita.

The doors before her creaked open and Cesare followed by two Papal guards came out. "The Holy Father wishes to see you" he said. Zita nodded and walked into the room cautiously.  
Rodrigo Borgia sat on his throne like a king and looked down at Zita.  
Days before Cesare had promised to her that he wouldn't speak anything about Zita's alliance to the Order nor her maternal relationship to the boy, when she asked why he simply answered that he would get punished too.

"Leave us" the Pope said and the people silently left them.  
Cesare walked up to the right side of Zita and then kneeled before his father. "Arise Cesare" Rodrigo said. The Templar did and stepped back after.  
"So this is my dear grandson" Rodrigo stood up from his throne, a smile visible on his triumphant face. "Let me see him" Zita looked at Cesare hesitantly and then carefully handed her son to the Templar. Giovanni whimpered a bit as he was held by his grandfather but then his little hand landed on his face which made the old man smile wider.

"Ahh, such beautiful eyes he has it must belong to his mother where is she by the way?" Cesare sighed and looked up at his father. "She died right after the childbirth. She even requested me that her name remains anonymous until he is of age" he told him.  
Rodrigo nodded "A pity…if she were alive I would have told you to marry her immediately, I wouldn't want another scandal in this city to occur just like the one with you and Sancha" he said. Zita stared up at the man beside her then shifted her eyes back to the floor.

She would have to endure this for a while until she could finally leave and return home to her husband and children.  
After listening to a few instructions the two left the room immediately. "Sancha? Did he mean Sancha of Aragon? The wife of your own younger brother?" she said outraged. Giovanni cried a bit when his mother yelled too loudly.

Cesare smirked "Why are you reacting in such way? Are you jealous?" he said tracing her face like he always did. Zita shoved his hand away then stepped back. "I'm not jealous! How could you do such a thing to your own brother?" she exclaimed.  
"She was the one who wanted to sleep with me not the other way around and I merely did what she wished" Cesare said. Zita glared at him and pulled her child closer to her bosom. "Then I wish to leave! That's what I wish for!" The General of the Papal guards merely stared down at her and told her to follow him.

Zita stood there gasping lightly and she had no other choice but to obey him.  
He let her have her own room to sleep in but it had to be close to his so that he could keep an eye on her if she ever tries to escape in the dead of the night.  
She was his personal attendant now. A woman that was anonymous and oblivious even to the Pope about her true being. She was also considered a doll that Cesare dressed up in beautiful gowns and adorned her ruby red hair with jewelry, flowers and the like. Zita kept a frown on her pale yet beautiful face ever since.

She walked down the long hallways of the Vatican in an aquamarine gown. Her hair was tied up to a tight bun with fuchsia flowers adorning it.  
"I heard she brings different men into her bed back in her younger days" "Well I heard that she made a man kill his wife just to be with her" "They say she was a mistress of different men and often times brothers of one family" "I hear it's for the money she's after"

Zita shook her head at the gossiping nuns and continued walking until she reached the place where the Pope and his cardinals would hold their meetings. She could hear voices inside and she knew one of them belonged to Cesare.  
He was planning on distributing his father's patronage throughout Italy starting from several places that had difficult obstacles to move.  
"Louis XII of France plans to claim Milan as his own through his grandmother Valentina Visconti though the only object in the way is the Duke Ludovico Sforza" Cesare said. Zita blinked and inched closer to the door.

"Might I suggest a military man by the name of Gian Giacomo Trivulzio?" Rodrigo said interrupting his son's thoughts "That Milanese condottiero?" "Si. He will be able to oust the Duke at the right time and you shall aid the King of France through his invasion as well as create an alliance with France."  
This time Zita had pressed her ear against the door trying to listen to every word. "An alliance with France? Through what?" Cesare asked "Through marriage. You shall be married to Charlotte d'Albret of Navarre in order to reinforce your union with the King and then we shall begin our spread of patronage throughout Romagna and Marche."

Zita gasped and stepped away from the door as if something had pushed her away. She gathered up her skirts and ran down the hallway pushing past the people that walked there. She had to escape. She had to escape Rome and warn the Assassins of the Templars' plan.  
It was in the evening that Cesare decided to take Zita outside to watch a Greek theatre play. He dressed Zita in a green gown that had a feather-shaped diamond brooch. The servants tied her hair to a tight bun and used one of Zita's diamond hairclips to put it in place.

The play was held at the ancient Theatre of Marcellus where Cesare had reserved the best seats to see the whole act.  
Some nobility pointed at stare at them at the beginning but as the music started everyone quieted down. They watched a series of Apollo's tragic love stories.  
Zita sat in her chair upright inclining her head to the right a bit watching where the actors went. The next scene was about Apollo and his quarrel with Eros the god of Love or mostly known as Cupid. Apollo had foolishly insulted the god by playing with his bow and arrows. Cupid who had planned to curse the sun god took two arrows. One was made of lead and the other of gold.

The gold arrow had the power to incite love while the other hatred. He used the lead arrow on a nymph named Daphne daughter of a river god and the gold one on Apollo.  
The sun god fell helplessly in love with the young woman however she scorned him. Apollo decided to chase after her through the forests and Daphne would not dare give in to the notorious god. The chase was long until the young woman cried out to her father to help her.

The girl paused and she became a laurel tree. Apollo was deeply hurt by this but promised to make her his tree and her leaves would crown the great kings of Greek and Rome.  
The actors bowed and exited to start another episode of the sun god.

"I pity Apollo" Cesare spoke after a while, Zita did not reply to him. Nevertheless he continued "He gives his love to the women that he loves the most yet they turn away from him and hide. But the ones that wanted him were abandoned and unwanted" he said referring to the early episode of Clytia and Apollo, the myth of the sunflower.  
"Are you implying that I am Daphne and you are Apollo?" Zita said for the first time in weeks. "Or would you rather base this relationship of ours with the episode of Coronis instead?" A Greek princess that was pregnant with Apollo's child. However she fell in love with another man. Outraged, Apollo killed her yet took the child to Chiron who later became the god of medicine.

"No Zita that is your relationship with your husband. You had his child but still you fell in love with another man and soon you will face the consequence of your actions" Cesare said. Zita sat frozen in her seat trying hard to prevent the tears from falling.  
"I wish to be like Daphne…I want to vanish from your grasp quickly as she could transform into that laurel tree…" she said and turned to him "You're no longer that boy I met thirteen years ago…"

When the play was over they immediately went home avoiding any other acquaintances along the way, Cesare dragged Zita all the way up to his chambers and pushed her inside. He locked the door behind him and he wrapped his fingers around Zita's scrawny neck.  
"How dare you say such things about me in public!" he spat at her and tightened his grip. Zita clawed at his wrist trying to make him let go. "I've given you everything! I've given you my love but you still despise me!" He pushed her against a table and forced her on it.

Cesare forcefully pulled her legs apart and Zita struggled to get out of his grasp. But once he entered her everything was useless. All she could do was whimper beneath him while he moved in his own rough rhythm.  
"Stop…please" she pleaded gripping hard on the front of his shirt. Cesare grabbed her wrist and pinned it above her head. After he had climaxed Cesare pulled Zita by the hair and threw her to the bed where he continued where he left off.

By morning Zita was amidst the sheets covered in visible bruises around the hips and on her back and shoulders. Her gown was ripped apart in the front and she found herself unable to move. Cesare fixed his attire and looked back at the lying form on his bed. He grunted and quietly left the confines of his room.  
Zita was locked within the Vatican for weeks. She had started to miss her children back in Chianciano Terme, who was taking care of them in her absence? What about her husband? Was he looking for her too?  
She was assigned two ladies-in-waiting to follow her around whenever she took a stroll through the gardens of the Vatican City. The gardens were exclusive only to the members of the Papal states and not to anybody but Zita who was under Cesare's care was allowed starting from Monday to Saturday but on Sunday she must attend mass along with Cesare.

Rumors began to spread that she was his mistress.  
"But she's too old for him! She's probably forty-three by now" Zita sighed and continued to walk down the gardens in a white gown with blue and red floral embroidery. Blue and white flowers also decorated her hair and she wore white gloves to hide her wedding ring from the eyes of the gossiping people.

It was the year 1499 and it was the seventh year of Rodrigo's reign as the Pope.  
Zita was in her room cooing little Giovanni. The baby laughed and played with his mother's hair. He was her only light in this dark time of her life. "Oh Giovanni, behave now piccolo" Zita laughed sweetly as Giovanni tried to reach for his mother's pink sapphire necklace.

She set him down on his crib when Zita spotted someone vaguely familiar downstairs at the courtyard with Cesare.  
She nearly jumped in her place. She was happy to see him and she eventually rushed downstairs to meet him again.  
Zita made sure Cesare was gone so she could have her chance. Once the man left she called out the name that would be on the lips of the people forever.

"Leonardo!" Zita said excitedly and wrapped her arms around the man in a tight embrace. Leonardo was surprised a bit but when he saw it was Zita he couldn't believe his eyes. "Madonna Zita! How on earth did you end up here?" Leonardo asked her. "It's a long story, come we have to discuss this in private" Zita said guiding him to Giovanni's nursery. She let the famous polymath sit while she hurried to close the windows and check if anyone else followed them.

"Care to explain now why you are in the heart of the Templar organization?" Leonardo asked "I could say the same thing to you" Zita replied. "Va bene. I was appointed by Signore Cesare to invent a pistola for him and his men, it'll be quite difficult as well as dangerous if he finds out about me" the polymath told her "Just do what you can to lay low Leonardo. By the way how are my husband and my children?" Zita asked him anxiously.

"They are fine madonna, but you might not like the news which I am about to tell you" he said. Zita fiddled with her hands and told the painter to continue. "Your daughter Aria has been presented to the Assassins and she has begun her training last December" she looked at Leonardo surprised then sighed in relief. "And here I thought my husband remarried or something" she said chuckling a bit. "You're not angry about Aria's decision?" Leonardo said curious as to why a mother like her was allowing her own daughter to become part of a dangerous group.

If Aria was his daughter he would have a fit right about now.  
"Actually I've been expecting her to say such thing ever since she was five. Aria's a wise girl and I know she'll be a good Assassin some day just like her father, and Cirino?" she said "He won't receive training until he is thirteen, as for Giovanni he was recently transferred to male teachers when he turned six." Then the artist went quiet.  
"Leonardo? You haven't said anything about Isabella yet, how's my youngest daughter?" Zita said walking up to him. "We've discovered that she has a spinal disorder we do not know how she got it but she has difficulty walking, from time to time" Leonardo said placing a hand on Zita's shoulder.

The look of worry was apparently visible on her face and she placed a hand to her mouth to hide her deep frown.  
"Don't worry figlia, there is still a way to cure her of her problem. That's why I took the liberty of thinking up a device that could let her stand straight" the polymath explained. He told her that he thought of making corsets made of iron. It won't be tight so the child would be able to breathe but it could be effective in any way.

Zita thinned her lips and smiled "Grazie Leonardo, grazie" she said. Suddenly a cry was heard from the corner of the room "Oh did my little figlio wake up from his nap?" Zita said as she walked up to her son's crib. She picked the baby up and his frown gradually changed into a big smile "There you go, a boy like you shouldn't cry often" she smiled at him then looked back at Leonardo. He stared at the child for a second then to Zita, that's when his brilliant mind clicked. Zita was here, a baby in her arms, the word figlio.

"An illegitimate child! Dio mio! Ezio would be furious if he finds out!" he exclaimed. Zita carried her son in one arm while she used her available and to shush the overwhelmed polymath. His voice had practically echoed throughout the room and once everything was silent again except for the gurgling sounds Giovanni made the two went back to their conversation.  
"I know. I've been trapped here trying to think of a plan to escape but this place has much more guards than a prison!" Zita said in a harsh tone then she looked down at her son "And I wish to escape with my child." Leonardo rubbed his chin while staring at Zita and quite suddenly he muttered the word 'Aha!' he turned around to leave the room.

"Wait where are you going?" Zita asked him.  
"Simple, I'm going to speak with Signore Cesare" Leonardo said "What for?" the young woman said persistently. "I'm going to borrow you for a painting" and with that he left Zita in the nursery.  
She waited for him to return but instead it was one of her lady-in-waiting. "Signore Cesare would like to see you madonna" Zita nodded and left her son to her care while she headed down to the said man's office.

When she entered what surprised her was that Cesare was laughing at Leonardo's story. The two men were drinking wine and rather enjoyed each other's company, like they've been friends for a very long time.  
"Ah, Leonardo this is Zita D'Angelo, my mistress" Cesare said introducing them formally. Leonardo raised his eyebrows and his speculation was true indeed.  
Zita curtsied and took a seat to Cesare's left. "Leonardo wishes to use you as a model for a painting caro mio, is it alright with you?" he asked touching Zita's long red hair and curled it in his fingers. "Of course mio cario, anything for the infamous Leonardo Da Vinci" Zita said playing along with this pretense.

Then it was settled, Cesare agreed to the terms that Leonardo meets his deadline as well. The polymath agreed and bid the two goodbye.  
"I don't know what you're planning Leonardo but I hope it would work" Zita thought and went back to her child's nursery.  
On the fifteenth day of February a day after Zita's thirty-seventh birthday, Leonardo had came back with the weapons Cesare wanted.  
"You have kept the end of the bargain well my friend and now I allow you to use Zita" he said. Zita walked up to them wearing a sunny yellow chemise gown, her hair was down with pearls and black feathers decorating it.

"We will be at the Gardens for the portrait Signore, I'll start off with a sketch it won't take long" Leonardo humbly said and accompanied the woman to the twenty-hectare garden.  
Zita sat amidst the laurel trees while Leonardo thought of a way to draw her. He then came up to her and discreetly handed her a vial with a note. He nodded and then went back to his sketch. He asked for a lady in waiting to sit beside Zita and bring her son with her.

Zita carried the child in her arms whilst the woman sat beside her. The woman's son approached them and Giovanni took interest in him.  
Later on that sketch of his had developed over time and soon it was known to the world as The Virgin and Child with St. Anne and St. John the Baptist.  
The sketch itself was beautiful and Zita was happy with it. She returned later to her chambers and stayed there until dinner.

Dining with the Pope would have been the dream come true of any normal civilian but with Zita it was different. She, Cesare, Rodrigo and Rodrigo's mistress Giulia Farnese dined in a private room in the Pope's apartments. Zita wore a pink gown with pastel pink ribbons around the sleeves. She wore her pink sapphire necklace and pearl earrings. On her hair were pink roses that the young nuns gave her, they also pitied her for her frowning face whenever they see her walk by their chapel.

"An innocent like you shouldn't blame yourself for being here" one of them told her.  
Zita ate her food quietly, they had roast duckling, sirloin of beef, fish fillet with creamed carrots and some mashed potatoes. It was an innocent and quiet dinner.  
Cesare sat just across Zita while Rodrigo sat beside his mistress. This was a private dinner, no Cardinal or priest was present, only loyal Templar guards. Once this is over, Giulia would use a secret passageway to get back to her palace just nearby.

Zita sipped on her wine gently after swallowing. She had learned that Cesare would cut large amounts of food and sometimes stuff the whole thing into his mouth. Quite an interesting scene, Zita thought and poked a carrot with her gold fork.  
After dinner she returned to her chambers. She slipped out of her gown with the help of her ladies and into a silk nightgown. The ladies bowed after and left her.  
She quickly jumped into bed and took out the vial and note.

"Dear Zita, you must know that if you drink this you will be put into a deep slumber. Blood will cease to flow through your veins and your heart shall stop beating all at once within three minutes after drinking.  
You will wake after five days and by then Ezio will have rescued you. I have informed him and you will soon reunite with him."  
Zita smiled and thanked Leonardo quietly. She crumpled the paper and threw it in the fireplace. It curled within the flames and soon it was nothing but ashes. Zita stared at the small vial in her hand, she walked over to her desk and wrote a short goodbye.  
Zita opened the vial carefully and drank down the whole thing. It tasted like dirt and rotten tomatoes to her. She coughed violently, clutching her chest firmly. Then she collapsed, the vial just a meter away from her and she closed her eyes as the poison began to work its magic.

Morning came on the city of Rome.  
A lowly housemaid knocked on the bedroom door of her mistress and entered. She expected the woman to be up brushing her red hair but what she saw was unexpected.  
The mistress lay dead on the floor, her hair fanned out and a vial of what seems to be poison rested beside her.  
The maid let out a scream and alerted all of the people in the Papal Apartments.

Cesare rushed to the bedroom and saw two doctors examining the body. He approached her and touched her wrist, there was no pulse at all.  
"She killed herself Signore…" the doctor told him.  
"This was found on her desk, it is for you" Cesare grabbed the letter from him and read it.

"And just like Daphne, I have turned into a laurel tree and ended your long pursuit of me. Zita"

Cesare slammed his fist on the desk and shocked most of the people there.  
"Leave me!" he shouted. The people quietly did and closed the door. Cesare stood straight and walked up to Zita. She looks a lot younger when asleep. Now that he mentioned it, why was it he felt this way about her? She was practically thirteen years older than he. But why? Why did this feeling linger within him the very first night that he met her?  
Ah, yes. It was love that he felt for her. Love indeed had its consequences.

He knelt down beside her and removed his necklace. Its pendant was the ruby ring Zita had given him all those years ago.  
"If I became that boy again, would you have loved me?" he said and placed the necklace around her neck. He picked up her cold hand and kissed it for one last time.  
"I guess you were right. Cupid had shot you with a lead arrow to scorn me…"  
He prayed one last time then left the bedroom to begin the funeral rights.

Soon news had spread that a woman dear to Cesare had died.  
Her body was placed in the altar of one of the nearest churches. The gown she had was the one she wore when she gave birth to their son, white roses surrounded her and a lone red rose was placed atop of her hands.  
Some of the men who visited out of sympathy had greatly admired her beauty that some had practically mourned for her.  
Rodrigo had started the two week wake and Cesare still had to choose which church to bury her. So in the meantime the Pope had scheduled a mass in honor for her.  
However on the fifth day Ezio Auditore had infiltrated the Sistine Chapel and had opened the Vault he had been searching for many years.

Once he had finished his duties, he ran towards the tombs and saw his wife at last after months of finding her. Ezio scooped her up from the flowers and carried her back to where she truly belongs. With him and with her children.

Zita's eyes gradually opened and she found herself in a dark room surrounded by hundreds of candles. Wasn't she supposed to be in a tomb by then?  
That's when she heard something and there was a sudden weight on the bed. In the candlelight she saw Ezio's outline.  
"Tell me I really died and went to heaven" she muttered.  
Ezio chuckled and kissed his wife softly on the lips, "Welcome back Zita" he said and Zita cried out in sheer happiness and embraced him.


	19. What Ever Happened?

The party sucked...badly...

Anyways, I love your reviews everybody! My niece and I are so happy to know that you guys love this! And wha made us even happy is that it reached so many countries already! :D

Ti amo per sempre amici mio! Grazie! xD

* * *

The training grounds for the mercenaries were always below the steps of the Auditore Villa inside the ring where they would often duel to see who the best among the rest is.  
Swords clashing and people uttering profanities were usually heard by the townspeople but none paid any attention to them.  
But instead of the usual men fighting they saw a young girl of thirteen dodging sword swings and punches from a condottiero named Andrea.

"Come now Signora Aria! You mustn't give up!" Andrea said coaching the girl to continue. Sweat dripped down Aria's face while her chest heaved up and down, she gripped her sword firmly and charged to attack the mercenary.  
She knew her parents were watching and she knew that if she disappointed her father then she would have failed the Auditore name.

Aria grunted loudly and used her elbow to hit Andrea in the face. The young man fell down rubbing his sore chin. She gasped abruptly "I'm so sorry Andrea did I hurt you too much?" she asked him, kneeling on the ground to check his injury. Bu then the man smiled and assured Aria that he was alright. Aria huffed and told him to continue their practice, trying hard to hide the blush on her face.  
Zita was in one of the family rooms of the villa watching Aria quietly behind her window while she was cross-stitching.  
Little Isabella sat on the red carpet playing with Aria's old porcelain doll. Cirino's teachers were none other than Niccolò Machiavelli and Leonardo Da Vinci. The little boy had a hard time to stay awake during his private tutors and had trouble keeping with both brilliant minds.

Giovanni and Isabella shared one governess, Zita's best friend Beatrice Campo.  
Macaron, Aria's pet cat, was curled up into a ball by the window sill watching his master as well. His tail curled from left to right in interest and a mockingbird had flown past him all too quickly.  
The thirty-seven year old mother continued her work. She wore a burnt orange gown with a matching veil.  
It was already March of 1499. Zita knew that it was her son's birthday however she kept it a secret from Ezio instead hoping that he wouldn't find out sooner or later.  
Speaking of Ezio, he was upstairs discussing some military tactics with Caterina Sforza in his office.

Isabella looked up at her mother then smiled holding up the doll to her. Zita smiled at her child and was about to take the doll when they heard a commotion like cannons firing.  
She and all the others were informed of the recent weapon and it was very dangerous. The whole room shook at the sudden blast and Zita quickly got up leaving her cross-stitch on her chair.  
She picked up Isabella and called for Giovanni and Cirino.

Another blast made the hallway vibrate underneath their feet. Zita had to hurry then suddenly a cannonball went by in front of them destroying the walls and the marble pillars. Her children panicked and she rushed them outside quickly. Another cannon blast and another part of the villa was destroyed entirely.  
Who would dare try to harm this peaceful place? Zita thought as she rushed down the stairs.

"Mother!" Aria ran up to them in her gray novice robes, her hood up and her red hair blending with the red stripes on it. "Aria! Take your siblings and the people to safety! I'll have some of my men help you" Zita told her in midst of the panic.  
A rogue cannonball had almost hit them and they stumbled to the ground. "Go!" Zita shouted. Aria nodded and hurriedly left. Andrea came to his leader's side and helped her up.  
"What should we do madonna?" Andrea asked her.  
"Take me up to one of the available towers and quickly" Zita ordered him. He nodded and whistled for two horses. Zita gathered up her skirts and got on her black steed. She galloped as fast as she could up to the nearest tower.

She ran up the stairs and there outside the wall was a whole army aiming all of their cannons at the walls. Zita spotted one of the cannons she had bought and told her men to load it.  
The condottieri did and she then signaled them. The cannon was fired and it hit one of the three cannon bases.  
"Reload those cannons quickly as possible! Don't give up just yet!" she shouted.  
She ran up and down the walkway to see to it that they reloaded all of their weapons.  
"And fire!" Zita exclaimed.

The loud blasts were deafening but they only lasted for a second. A tower had gone down and three cannons were blown away. "That's it!" she said.  
"Madonna they're breaching the walls!" Zita turned her head seeing some of the enemy guards climbing up the walls with their ladders. "Defend the town! No one must enter it!" Zita commanded them. She picked up a lone axe on the floor and was face to face with a Brute. Before, one had almost killed her but that was eleven years ago. She had trained under many mercenaries to learn the skill of fighting.

She raised the axe above her head and threw it with brute force at the armored man. It hit him on the chest and he fell with a thud.  
Abruptly another blast from the enemy had destroyed a portion of the wall. Andrea was on the other side of the destroyed barricade.  
"Just go and tell the others to protect the town! I'll deal with this!" Zita told him. Her beloved student nodded and ran off to perform his duties.

Zita turned away and saw more guards coming up to her. She removed her orange veil to reveal her ruby red hair and picked up a sword from a fallen condottiero.  
She attacked the first one without haste and quickly thrust her sword through his chest. Another came at her and she swung her sword to slice open his stomach.  
She received a blow from one but quickly countered with an elbow strike to the face. Now that's where Aria had gotten her talent.

Zita looked down at the dying guard and saw that he wore a familiar pattern on his clothes. "It can't be…" she muttered and looked back at the enemy surrounding the whole town.  
The people would never make it out of this alive. But she must defend this town her husband had tried so hard to protect and rebuild for twenty-three years.  
Zita was so preoccupied with the immense number that she had forgotten to see the guard that was aiming his gun at her. "Zita!" Ezio leaped from the tower and landed on the man piercing his throat with his hidden blade.

Zita jumped a bit but when she saw her husband she sighed in relief. She let go of her sword and moved to embrace him. "I was so worried! Where's my little sister?" Zita asked him anxiously "She escaped with the rest of the villagers. You should have too!" Ezio exclaimed moving to load a cannon and aimed it at one of the towers again.  
"I can't!" Zita exclaimed walking up to him and grabbing him by the elbow to make him look at her. "I don't want to leave you ever again…and besides, a wife's place is always by her husband's side" she said.  
A cannon had blasted in the background but the two was still lost in each other's eyes.

"I want to be with you until the very end Ezio…" Zita said softly and quickly pulled on the string that fired the cannon.  
One tower was destroyed. Ezio whistled in delight and looked at his wife. "Well come on then!" she said. She hurried to find more cannonballs when she spotted someone by the entrance of the town. A group of guards had caught Aria and their children.  
"Ezio!" she pointed out. Ezio turned seeing his children in the hands of the Templars. He swiftly jumped off the wall to rescue them. Zita followed suite running down the stairs to them.

However as she reached the foot of the stairs a blade was positioned under her chin.  
This feeling had brought shivers down her spine and made the hair in the back of her neck stand up. It was so chilling and cold-hearted that she gulped hard, her skin lightly touching the cold blade before her.  
Hands wove through her dark red tresses and touched her cheek.  
"It's been so long since we have last seen each other Zita."  
The voice, it was so terrible to her ears. "You've pretend to have killed yourself just so you can escape me. What a foolish act you've done" the hand that once loved those red strands of hair grabbed them harshly and dragged the woman to her children.

Cesare threw Zita to the ground and her children surrounded her. "Mamma!" Giovanni cried.  
Zita looked back at the gonfalonier and glared at him with all the hatred she could muster. "Now Ezio Auditore, I have only come here to take what is rightfully mine" Cesare said aloud and he raised his hand, in it the Piece of Eden that all the Assassins had fought and died for. Zita wrapped her arms around her children and held them closer to her.  
"I have also brought you a gift" a guard came to hand a gun to him and quickly left "From my family" Zita heard the gun click and she closed her eyes shut "To yours" with that they heard a loud gunshot.

But Zita didn't feel anything bore into her just something wrapped around her small form. She reopened her eyes seeing the exhausted face of Uncle Mario.  
"No…" Zita muttered. The old man looked up at her with a smiling face "Zita…take care of my nipote for me…you're his only hope left…" he said and then his eyes rolled to the back of his head and fell to the ground.  
"Uncle Mario! No!" Zita screamed, tears running down violently on her face.

Cesare grunted and saw Ezio running on the rooftop. He didn't even notice the three guards behind him. Another gunshot rang out and Zita saw Ezio fall from the roof and into the ground.  
"Papa!" Aria screamed this time and ran to her father. "Aria! Don't!" Cesare reloaded his gun and aimed it at the young girl.  
"No!" Zita lunged forward to pull the gun away from him. "You came here for me! I know you did! So please! Let my family live! Take me instead!" she exclaimed pointing the gun to her throat.  
Her heart drummed against her chest so badly she thought that it would burst in pure fright. But then Cesare pulled his gun and a guard came and took it.

"Two Sforza ladies in my grasp, such a lovely day it is" he chuckled. Zita gasped violently then suddenly passed out from sheer trauma.  
Cesare looked at her weak form on the ground and told the men to carry her to his carriage. "And the children sir?" one of the Swiss guards asked him.  
"The father can look after them right? Now go do what I tell you!" he shouted. The guards saluted and went to bring the woman to their master's carriage.  
"Let my mamma go!" Cirino shouted but he was ignored. He wished, he wished that he was strong just like his parents.  
The army left the destroyed town of Monteriggioni with their prizes.

When Ezio awoke he was being bandaged by Andrea. They were hiding in Chianciano Terme, in Zita's villa. "Zita!" he exclaimed sitting up too quickly that his wound reopened "Ah!" he grunted "Papa lie back down" Aria told him.  
Ezio did and sighed. "Where are your siblings?" he asked her "They're safe and not one is harmed" Aria replied "And your mother?" the young girl paused and bit her lip.  
"They took her, right after Uncle Mario died protecting us…" she said.

Ezio's eyes widened at the news "Uncle Mario?" he grunted once more feeling the pain crawl up his spine. "Papa just relax!" Aria said worriedly.  
"How can I relax when your mother was captured by that man? Why didn't you do anything to protect her?" Ezio exclaimed "I'm sorry! I was so worried when you fell from the roof I thought you died!" Aria said tears streaming down her face.

"It's going to take more than three guns to kill me" Ezio said, he ran a hand through his hair and thought of his wife wherever she was right now.  
"I'm so sorry papa" Aria said quietly "I'm sorry as well…I should have taken things calmly" Ezio replied to his daughter.  
Andrea finished the bandage and told him to rest. "Grazie Andrea" Aria said bowing her head "Anything for my masters" he said and left the room.  
Aria turned her head to her father who was still thinking of her mother. She smiled a bit. When she was young she was told about the love story of her parents, how each bravely fought their own challenges and how they met again in Venice.

"Papa" she spoke softly "What should we do now?" she asked him. Ezio faced his daughter and looked back at the window.  
He heard the shouts of the mercenaries outside to bring in the cannons and other ammunition. He imagined Zita gazing out that window looking at her mercenaries with a smile on her face, Ezio remembered that conversation they had.

"I wish to bring in more mercenaries, not only for my benefit but for their own too. I know there are many boys out there who wish to become a condottiero someday or maybe even an Assassin" she said then her image and her smile slowly faded.

Ezio blinked and looked at Aria. The girl had resembled her mother quite greatly that Ezio had mistook her for Zita once.  
"Gather the best condottiero out there in the field, I'll need young and fit ones" he told her. "Why?" Aria said. "Because I need apprentices to carry on my job, Roma is a big city and Templar scum is everywhere" Ezio replied. "Also, I need the approval of the French, Viennese and German Assassins to bring their novices here to bring down the Templars once and for all"  
Aria nodded at her father's plan and hurried to her mother's office.

Letters were sent all over Europe not only in the cities associated with Zita but to other countries as well. From Switzerland to England, from Spain to the country of Africa.  
Apprentices all taught under one Master Assassin.  
Ezio had turned Zita's villa into the temporary base of the Order. She would have been proud seeing many young people wanting to learn more than what they have been taught.  
One novice though had caught Ezio's attention. A young man, probably a French novice assassin, of all Assassins he was the only one who wore a black hood and a black bracer. He saw him when he entered the town with the other French novices.

Aria was there to allocate them to their proper houses. Her mother had been building palazzos all around town just in case the mercenaries had doubled in number than expected.  
She asked the different names of the men that came but it was that man that had caught her eye and so did he.  
"State your nation" Aria said calmly as she could. "France" the man replied, "Un autre assassin français que je vois" Aria replied sweetly jotting it down "You speak French mademoiselle?" he asked her. "Oui. Name?" "Arnaud du Bois" he answered and then bowed solemnly to plant a kiss on Aria's gloved hand.

"Aria" the said girl turned around seeing her father standing there with his own apprentices behind him. "Padre" Aria quickly said and pulled back her hand from Arnaud. "I have to go, my father needs me" she bowed her head and turned away from him. "Wait" Arnaud reached out to grab her other hand, the one with no glove. He touched her smooth skin and was surprised. A young girl like her was as dangerous as she was young and beautiful.  
"When can I see you again?" he asked.  
"…Soon, just follow the others and you'll find your way around this place" Aria told him and left quietly to blend in the crowd.  
She walked up to her father and bowed. "Report" Ezio said. "We have over twenty-three novices from the French, a bit of eighteen from the Germans and sixteen from the Viennese as well as the Italians" Aria inquired him. The Master Assassin nodded and told her to carry on her duty.

"And Aria," Ezio said sternly "Don't rush into things too quickly" Aria scoffed and returned to her post.  
Ezio gazed up into the clear blue sky and wondered where his wife was and what was she doing now.

Zita gazed at the cloudless sky through her barred window. She was in a cold, dark cell somewhere near a crowded piazza. The smell of urine and human waste mixed and water dripped from the ceiling to the old rat scurried past her feet. Her younger sister Caterina was taken to another cell separated from her. The Sforza woman fought a good fight with the guards but eventually gave in.  
Zita looked at the floor and saw an old chalk, probably from one the recent prisoners who spent their last days in there. She picked it up and began writing on the wall.

_"I was once a girl who had lived the life of luxury. Now I am a woman imprisoned by the one who forced love on me. Dear God, please forgive him. He is just a mere pawn to that creation. I can't stand seeing him act this way. He was so different from what he used to be. I pray that he would take me out of here and execute me instead of making me suffer here day by day. How many days has it been really? I don't know, all I could see is the sky outside my window. I lost track. I can't find a way out of here._  
_ Take care of my children for me, I love you…"_

Before she could finish what she wrote she heard loud banging noises outside her iron door. Zita put down the chalk and stared at it.  
It opened with one swing and collided with the stone wall. A guard stepped in and soon three women came inside. "The Master wants to see you, but he requires you to be cleansed before meeting him" one of them, a girl no more than fourteen said.

Zita continued to scowl at them and they took her out of her cell. She was still wearing her orange gown as she stepped out of the prison cell, what surprised her was that the prison was actually the Castel Sant'Angelo. The guards escorted her to a carriage and memories suddenly flashed in her mind.  
The very first day that she was sent to Florence to be married to her fiancé. She got on without much haste and was off to the Vatican city.

She gazed outside the window and saw so many poor people reaching out to ask for money. One woman in the street was crying as she carried the body of her dead child.  
The plague had stuck them quite heavily that most of the lower classes were affected and were in desperate need of medicine. The carriage stopped in front of a palazzo that gave Zita the chills. She got down of the carriage and walked into the palace.

There a woman told her that she had to remove all clothing of her past life. "What do you mean my past life?" Zita asked her "Why, you are Signore Cesare's mistress and a mistress should not have anything belonging to a foreign court" the woman replied. Zita could have guessed that the bastardo told them she was French.  
The ladies led Zita to a room where they would remove all of her clothes including jewelry. She stopped them when they were about to take her pink sapphire necklace. "I'd like to keep this on please" Zita said touching the small necklace with her small fingers. "But madonna we must remove everything foreign or the master will be displeased" the woman insisted and successfully took the necklace from her.

She suppressed a whimper and force back the tears. A light chemise was placed over her head and she slipped into the sleeves easily, her corset came next and followed lastly with her new gown. It was a gown with three shades of blue. Her red hair was tied to a tight bun that it almost hurts and it was covered by a veil with the same material. Zita stepped out of the room renewed and a feeling in her gut told her to escape while she can.

They took her to the Gardens of the Vatican where the French armies were currently using as a training ground.  
A guard led her to the Captain General responsible for all of this. "Signore Cesare, she is here" he solemnly bowed then left to rejoin the others.  
Cesare turned around to face Zita who was still unmoved by his presence. He walked up to her and grabbed her roughly by the chin. "You look beautiful in blue mio cara" he said leaning down for a kiss. Zita looked away so that his lips touched her cheek instead. He hissed against her face and forced her to look at him.

"You will not try to embarrass me mio cara or there will be consequences" he said and told the ladies to bring her to the palazzo. "Come now madonna" the young girl said softly. Zita couldn't do anything but follow him. They took her away once again and brought her back to the palazzo. "The Master usually comes home in the late hours but he will visit you only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The others are for his wife Charlotte" the old woman told her. "I am not a mistress of that man" Zita said boldly "Mistress or not, you are under him no matter how many complaints I hear from that mouth of yours" the woman replied and led Zita to a room with brightly painted walls.  
"This whole palazzo is yours to keep, anything within its confines is yours."

Zita looked around curiously; it was only her room that made the palazzo feel welcoming. "And also, Signore has a gift for you" A nursemaid came in carrying a boy no more than a year old. "Giovanni!" Zita exclaimed and rushed to bring her son into her arms, "There, there mamma's here, I'm so sorry I left you here all alone" she muttered running her hand up and down her child's small back.  
And that is where Zita has ended up. At the evenings Cesare would come and dine with her and talk about his plans on conquering different provinces as well as become duke to them.  
Zita kept quiet throughout the meal. After which she was sent to bed like some little girl and they closed the curtain around her canopy bed. She sighed and lied back against the large fluffy pillows thinking about Ezio, her children and her younger sister.

The next morning before the church bells even rang, the curtain to Zita's bed opened to let the sunlight in. Zita awoke with a start and quickly covered her eyes from the sudden light.  
"Time to get up madonna" the woman whose name was Estrella said and reached out a hand to help the other woman from the bed.  
The ladies removed Zita's nightgown and replaced it with a cleaner chemise. Zita had to wrap her arms around herself to protect her from the harsh cold morning, they dressed her up in a cream blue gown with pink bows and a white choker around her neck with the emblem of the Templars on it. Her hair was tied to an updo and was decorated it with pink flowers.

For breakfast she had Sicilian bread and tea as well as the morning wine.  
They went off to the Sistine Chapel for the morning mass. Soon after they went for a stroll around the markets. Zita asked what the prices were and was surprised to say that one kilo of carrots costs at least thirty-five florins unlike in Chianciano Terme and Monteriggioni they cost at least twenty florins.

Zita returned back to her prison of a home and saw Cesare waiting for her. He kissed her softly on the lips and she could distinctly smell the gunpowder on him.  
"Shouldn't you be with your wife Charlotte?" she said strictly and walked past him. "I would have but I have other things in mind" Cesare said and then wrapped his arms around Zita's waist. "Now my little laurel why don't we create a little passionate dance to pass the time?" he whispered into her ear and nibbled on the lobe. Zita grunted and pushed him off her. "I am not your laurel! And don't you even dare call me cara! I belong to no one but my husband!" she shouted and ran to her room.

Cesare hissed through clenched teeth and ordered them not to let her out of the palace until his return from the office.  
Zita slammed the doors shut and paced around her large bedroom. She grabbed the nearest vase and threw it at the nearest wall, it shattered into pieces and she fell helplessly to the floor her shoulders shuddering and her cries echoing around the room.

By November of 1499, Zita was kept a prisoner in her own home. To the civilians she was just another haughty noblewoman who would burn money like all the other single women there. To Cesare she was his and his alone.  
Arianna, her faithful lady-in-waiting told her that Cesare was being kind to her. Zita said otherwise and told her that "…even though he had the face of an angel, his heart was as evil as the devil…' the young girl would always accompany Zita to all her strolls and even the boat rides down the Tiber river. Zita had already five ladies-in-waiting behind her with Arianna as her favorite. They were at the St. Peter's Square on Cesare's order to 'see his lovely Daphne' and they saw Charlotte, Cesare's wife, who was three months pregnant.

Zita merely looked straight ahead and intentionally ignored Charlotte, there was no need to greet the wife of a man who insulted her during one dinner party.  
The young girl passed by her and hit Zita's arm harshly. "Well that was unnecessary" Arianna said.  
"That was certainly unnecessary for you to ignore the Master's wife" Colombina, the old woman Cesare assigned to take care of Zita, scolded her. The thirty eight-year-old woman sat across the bedroom in her pink dressing robes nibbling on Petits Fours. "Well it is not my fault that she insulted me at that dinner party last time" Zita replied and ate quietly.

"I know you are nearing your prime age of forty but that does not mean you would have to snob the duchess" Colombina told her. Zita rolled her eyes and picked up another pastry from the silver plate "A young girl like her should know where her place is to respect the ones older than her" she said. Colombina sighed and exited the chambers.  
Zita felt a smirk tug at her lips and she reclined against her burgundy red couch.

The door reopened again to let Arianna in carrying a tray that had a bottle of prosecco and the champagne glass. "Madonna Colombina is furious that you refuse to acknowledge Charlotte" Arianna said pouring the drink into her mistress' glass.  
Zita frowned as she brought the drink to her lips. "What would you do if you were told that you look like a wrinkly old flower in front of the nobility in Rome?" she said.  
"I…I would definitely feel insulted madonna…" Arianna replied.  
"Now you know of my reason"

Later that evening she received a letter that she was invited to have dinner with Cesare, Louis XII, Cesare's hired condottieri and Charlotte herself.  
She refused to go at first but when Alfonso and Arianna insisted that she would come she finally gave up.  
"Fine. I'll talk to her" Zita said and got ready for the party. The gown that she wore was like living the past, for it was a black gown with an ermine collar and cuffs that showed her small yet striking figure. Her red hair tied up to an updo and black feathers decorated it.

She lastly wore black velvet gloves to complete the look. They went off to Via del Corso where Charlotte's palazzo was. Many people have attended the said dinner party but there were many guards surrounding it. Zita arrived at the entrance and was escorted by Gian Paolo Baglioni, a condottiero hired by Cesare to join his troops. She arrived at the courtyard and saw Cesare beside his wife. The noble that were there began whispering gossips under their breath.

"I hear that is a mistress of Cesare Borgia" "Her? She looks old!" "A poor rose that is slowly wilting" everyone quieted down as Zita approached the couple.  
She bowed her head slightly at them and looked at Charlotte.  
"…The gown brings out the color of your eyes" she said. Charlotte smiled and nodded her thanks "Yes indeed" she replied. Zita smirked and then turned away, surprising everyone there and walked away back to her carriage. "Those are my last words to that young girl" Zita muttered to Alfonso and returned home.

* * *

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	20. To the End

*crying*

* * *

May 17 1500, Rome

It was a beautiful Sunday morning and it was time for church yet again.  
Pigeons flew into the bright skies and church bells rang loudly to indicate the time. The thirty-eight year old mistress of Cesare Borgia came to mass on time as always. She wore a pale blue gown made of silk taffeta; her red hair was decorated with light blue flowers as well.

Beside her on the bench was her two-year-old son, Giovanni. The mistress fanned herself with her white feathered fan while her faithful ladies in waiting sat to her left.  
She constantly fanned herself and told her son to listen to the sermons of the priest well. How many months had it been since she has been a prisoner of Cesare Borgia?  
How long has it been since she had heard from her little sister Caterina? Dio mio her little sister, what have they done to her? Zita knew not to worry since Caterina was a feared woman. But she couldn't help but feel anxiety rise in her.

After mass she was due to have lunch with Cesare at her palazzo. The cooks prepared the best food they could make for the Duke and his mistress. Zita decided to change into a new gown while waiting for him. She chose a pink gown with yellow embroidery; pink feathers were her new hair decors this time. The Duke had arrived and Zita forcefully greeted him with a kiss to the cheek. "How are you cara mio?" Cesare asked her. "If you count hearing false rumors about me as fine then be my guest" Zita answered, leading the young man to the dining hall. She felt a hand slip around her shoulders and she gazed up into the dark brown eyes of Cesare.

"What is it this time cara?" he said in a hushed tone, inhaling the sweet rosewater scent coming from the woman. "…It's nothing, it's better if I kept quiet" she replied and moved to sit on her chair. As a custom, the higher ranking in the room which was Cesare ate first with Zita eating second. While waiting she signaled for some water. Arianna came up to her and poured some water into her glass. Zita took a sip and saw Cesare was done with his first course. It was her turn to eat.

After the lunch, the two got together in the nursery. Little Giovanni was learning quite quickly and he was already running around the room. "Come here now bambino!" Zita said as she quickly grabbed her son who tried to run away from her mother's clutches. The boy let out a shriek and laughed out loud.  
Zita kissed his soft cheeks tenderly and gave him to Cesare. The man took his son carefully into his arms and smiled down at him. "Some day you will become a great warrior just like your padre" Cesare said. Giovanni giggled and touched his father's beard. "Papa" he said.

Zita somehow smiled while watching the Duke hold his little boy. That was the only moment that she appreciated the most because the cruel Duke had suddenly became the little boy she had met so many years ago. Her eyes were fixed on him when he put the little boy back in his crib. "What are you staring at?" is cold voice suddenly snapped her out of her thoughts. Cesare was looking at her and she slowly looked outside her window. The bars that were once there were removed on Cesare's order and for Giovanni's health. "Nothing" Zita replied, she failed to hear the footsteps coming towards her.

A callous hand reached out to cup her chin and made her look into Cesare's eyes. "Now don't be such a little liar mio cara. You've already done that" he said and forced his mouth upon hers. He dragged her off into her bedroom where he continued his treatment. Cesare's hands started to untie the knots of Zita's gown and slipped it off her before she could even reach the bed. "No" she shrieked trying hard to push him off her. Everything she did was useless. Cesare nibbled on that spot on her neck that made her produce a moan.

"Cesare please stop" she whimpered underneath him and felt his arousal against her thigh. He grunted loudly and pulled down his breeches revealing all of himself. Without warning he entered her in such a rough and fast pace Zita had trouble catching up to the feeling of him inside of her.  
"Cesare!" she moaned, her hands blindly reaching out to grasp is arms for support. "Cesare…" her panting hastened and she let out a low moan when she felt that spot being hit repeatedly. "Cesare" Zita breathed again and reached to touch his face but he merely pinned her hand beside her head and moved painfully slow.

He was fooling her. He knew when she would give up and just begged for him to pound hard into her until she was sore and could no longer move. Tears started to well up in her eyes not because of the pleasure deprived from her but from grief that she was allowing someone to do this act upon her.  
She had loved Cesare Borgia. But not anymore. He had loved her and he always will even in the next world.

Cesare himself felt the need to release so he quickened the pace. Zita gasped at the rush of pleasure and she let out a strained moan.  
"Just make it quick" she said managing to speak even through the passion play. "What if I don't want to?" Cesare taunted with a smirk on his face. Zita growled and raked her nails down his back but it only fueled him even more. He even groaned against the crook of her neck.

The bed slightly creaked from the movement and Zita had had enough of this. She rammed her mouth against his and successfully pushed him so that he was lying down and she was on top. However she only found herself in an even more dangerous position. Cesare smirked up at her and held her hips firmly. He began a slow and steady pace and Zita threw her head back moaning.  
Suddenly they were interrupted by a loud knocking on the door.  
"Signore Cesare! Your wife Charlotte is giving birth!" the servant said. A growl rumbled in Cesare's throat wishing to kill the servant now. But his thoughts were cut off when Zita intentionally got off him and went to put on her pale green robe. "What are you doing? I haven't even finished with you yet" his voice was alarming but Zita ignored him as she made her way to the bathing room. "Your wife needs you more than ever, stay here and they'll think I've kept you from her" she said and closed the door shut behind her.

Cesare pounded his fist on the mattress and hurriedly put on his clothes with a grumble. When he arrived Charlotte was holding on to a bundle with a child in it, her face had the look of worry and fright. "She has bore a daughter Signore, she wishes to name her Louise Borgia" Cesare looked down at his wife and his daughter then quietly left the delivery room.  
It was Monday, Cesare had brought Zita to his palazzo where he and his men were planning on conquering other provinces in Tuscany.  
They were in one of the private rooms upstairs discussing about Romagna and ousting Giovanni Sforza, the husband of Lucrezia Borgia, from Pesaro and killing its young lord Astorre III Manfredi. Zita knew why she was here. Because Cesare was keeping her from the public. For nasty rumors have spread across the city like wildfire.

She sighed, picking up some tropical fruits that the servants recently bought and sliced to edible pieces. She was wearing a blue gown with a red belt tied around her waist. On it was a miniature insignia of the Assassins that Cesare had failed to notice. Zita put the guava slice down and leaned against the window sill watching the people walk outside the guarded gates.  
She suddenly saw a flash of white appear on the rooftops. Could it be? Zita glanced back at Cesare then to the image she saw before.

"Can I be excused for a moment?" she asked him tenderly. Cesare looked up at her from his table then muttered 'Sure' and went back. Zita thanked him and walked out of the door. She rushed down the hallway hoping not to cause much commotion from he guards that were patrolling outside. She reached the stables and was surprised to see a bunch of cornflowers scattered on the floor. Abruptly a flash of white appeared before her and she almost let out a shriek if not for the hand that covered her mouth quickly.

"Ssh! You must not make a sound!" the person said placing a finger to his lips. Zita shoved his hand off and glared at him "I wouldn't if you didn't scare me like that" she reprimanded. "Mi dispiace madre…" Zita blinked twice. The young Assassin before her had said madre. "Cirino?" Zita said in disbelief and pulled down the hood. Indeed it was her son with his long auburn hair and his amber eyes. "Oh Cirino!" the mother wrapped her arms around her son and kissed his cheek tenderly. "Mother" Cirino groaned and rolled his eyes.

She chuckled and let go of her son. Then she remembered where they were, she ushered him into a chapel and closed the door shut. "You should not be here, this is Cesare's home! He could kill you any minute!" she said in a hushed tone. Before Cirino had the chance to speak his mother interrupted him again "And why is it you? Why couldn't it be Aria or even your father?" "Aria cannot because she's pregnant, six months at that" Cirino said and saw his mother change from being furious to being shocked.  
"Che cosa? What do you mean pregnant? Who-" "She is married to the French Assassin Arnaud du Bois, padre said it was love at first sight and allowed the young man to marry her soon after we discovered her pregnancy" Cirino explained.

"How old is this Arnaud du Bois?" Zita questioned him strictly.  
"He's currently nineteen mother…but he's a good Assassin, really he is" the young boy said. Zita sighed and smacked her forehead against her palm. "Oh Ezio, sometimes I wonder if you spoil Aria too much" she said then looked at Cirino "And you, you're not even at the right age to receive a mission such as this" the eleven-year-old grinned "Actually I came here by chance and a few florins but I managed didn't I?" Zita swore she would lecture Ezio if they ever see each other again. If, that is. "So come on mdare! Now's your chance of escape! I'll distract the guards and you-" "No Cirino, you go back to wherever the headquarters are and I will deal with this myself. Tell your father about Cesare's plan on conquering Pesaro and the whole province of Romagna. Do as I say and return after the siege, do you understand?" She held her son's delicate face in her hands and kissed his forehead.

"But I can't leave you with that bastardo" Cirino said trying hard not to whimper "Hey," Zita smiled down at him "I am a Sforza lady, not a princess anymore. And I have the blood of a competitive family running through my veins, I can take on Cesare's beatings anytime. Now do as I say and go. This is my mission for you" the moment she let go of him, he rushed out of the chapel and scaled up a wall warily avoiding all of the guards.  
Zita sighed and looked back at the wooden cross held in the middle of the altar. "If you are really with us, please help my family…"

On that same year, Zita had discovered that she was pregnant. But nine months later on the eve of January 2 1501, she bore a baby girl she happily named Ambra Borgia after her late mother. However the child was not immune to the plague and she suffered smallpox for three weeks until her eventual death on January 18 1501.  
Everyone attended the funeral at St. Peter's square. Zita stood there watching the Swiss guards carry the small coffin that carried her baby girl. Memories of Uccello suddenly came back to her that tears ran down her face. Cesare looked back at the thirty nine-year-old woman beside him and at the black clothed casket. Even though he had spent only three weeks with his daughter, he had loved her with all the love a father would give.

Zita bent down to pick up her son Giovanni and held him close to her. When they entered the Vatican, Zita excused herself and took a long walk in the Gardens to clear her mind off of things.  
Her walk ended around four in the afternoon.  
While lying in her bed she held Giovanni close to her, hoping to find comfort in her little light. Just then Arianna entered her bedroom and presented to her a gift from Cesare. "I don't need anymore of his jewelries, he can have them back" Zita said getting up from her canopy bed leaving her son to sleep on it. "But madonna, this one is special" Arianna said and opened it to reveal her pink sapphire necklace. Zita gasped and quickly took the necklace from its case. It was hers, she knew because it had the engraving of Z on it. "Thank you Arianna, thank you very much" she said "No thank Signore Cesare; he was the one who wanted to give it back to you" Zita kept silent after that and told her maid that she would take a rest.

The parents started their forty days and nights of mourning. Zita wore a black gown everyday even to the theater. The play was about Oedipus, a man who was destined to kill his own father and marry his mother. After the performance ended, Zita did her best to put on a smile and clap like she always did with the audience, except that the people of Roma did not clap with her and she was left to stare at them from her seat in the theater.

Despite her declining popularity, it was soon replaced by the good news of Cesare being crowned as Duke of Romagna. He came back to Rome triumphant with his new title and set his course to Piombino, a town just on the coast of the Tuscan region.  
Zita was behind him all the time, watching him conquer lands with the power of the Apple in his hand and with his troops.  
Just while his condottieri took care of Piombino, Cesare commanded the French troops to prepare themselves for the sieges of Naples and Capua. The only things in the way were Prospero and Frabizio Colonna. On June 24 1501 the Aragonese power had collapsed in southern Italy.

Zita sat quietly in her son's nursery reading to him poetries of Virgil and the plays of Sophocles. Suddenly two nursemaids came inside her room and took little Giovanni from her hands, "Where are you taking him?" she exclaimed but she was pulled back by Alfonso.  
"The Holy Father wishes Giovanni Borgia to be transferred to another guardian, seeing as you are not fit to be his guardian anymore, selfish whore" the nursemaid said and left the nursery after. "No! Not Giovanni! Not my son!" Zita shouted running down the stairs after them but she was too late, the carriage had left and was on its way to the Vatican. The mother fell to the ground crying helplessly for the loss of her only light and comfort.

On August 14th 1501, she received a letter from Cirino who used the name of an old friend. Aria had given birth to a son, Cosimo du Bois. There was even a letter coming from Ezio, her dear aging husband. He was asking for her forgiveness if he could not rescue her from the clutches of the Templars, she knew of course there was a plan to all of this. She folded the letter and leaned back against her winged chair facing the sunlight window with a smile on her face.

1503, Roma  
Forty-one year old Zita stood there at the gates of her palazzo. She was wearing a white silk gown with a black choker around her neck that had the Templar emblem on it. Her hair was tied to a simple updo with no decorations whatsoever. She was going to see Cesare off to parade with his father around the city.  
The said man turned around and smiled at her. Zita smiled back at him and bowed her head. Cesare walked up to her and planted a soft kiss on her lips. "You still look beautiful to me no matter what" he said. Zita smiled softly this time and told him to go or he would be late.

When the latter had left, she told Arianna and Alfonso to do their duties while she went out to buy something. She was accompanied by two guards as she went to a friend's house. "I'll be quick, just stay out here" she told them and went inside.  
The house smelled of aphrodisiac but she was immune to it ever since. She approached the old woman whose hair was gray as the skies and her eyes were as pale blue as the sea.

"Ah, the Sforza lady what is it that makes your presence known into my home?" the woman asked her. "They have told me great rumors about yourself Madonna Annunciata, that you were once a woman with the greatest poisons ever created" the old woman sneered at her. "I've long retired from such acts! Those Borgias have always demanded me such things and look where it has brought them! Death! Utter death in all of Italy!" Annunciata exclaimed spitting on the floor if she had to.

"But I came here not as a Borgia mistress but as a Sforza lady as you have mentioned before, I need your most powerful poison to finally put an end to the Pope" Zita said kneeling on the dust floor in front of the old woman.  
Annunciata scoffed and then turned away from her. Seconds later she returned with a dark purple vial. She handed it carefully to Zita and the latter took it cautiously as well. "What is it?" she asked. "Careful child, that is cantarella a very deadly poison if taken in high dosage. I believe your friend Messer Leonardo had given you one before" Zita nodded and tucked the vial into her purse.

"Do what you can to save Rome from all this suffering!"  
Later that evening, Zita was invited to the Vatican to have a wonderful feast with the Pope as well as Cesare. She wore a bright pink gown with matching feathers in her hair. The whole place was crowded for the accommodation of the guests which was a great opportunity for her. Zita slipped through the crowd easily and entered the Vatican kitchens, there Alfonso was waiting for her with the gold cup meant for the Holy Father.

Her hands shivered a bit as she poured the whole vial into the drink. "Madonna" Alfonso held her hands and calmed her down "I understand the pain and suffering you've endured for years with that man and his father. I will not utter one ill word about you if ever I'm caught" he said. Zita smiled and said "Grazie Alfonso, you'll be the first Templar to have helped me get through my sufferings." Alfonso stepped out and approached the Pope's table. He placed the cup down in front of him and bowed. Cesare noticed that the young man was one of Zita's guards. And speaking of Zita, where was she?

The said woman stood behind a pillar watching everything from afar. As she leaned forward to see where her guard went, arms wrapped themselves around her waist and dragged her off into a far corner that no one could see. She tried to scream but she was soon stopped by a pair of lips on hers. The smell of country air and incense. Zita slowly opened her eyes to see the dark brown eyes of her husband Ezio Auditore da Firenze.

"You came…" she said, a tear rolling down her cheek. "I promised I would come to save you" Ezio smirked and kissed his wife tenderly. Zita missed this feeling, the warmth of his body close to hers and the soft kisses he gave slowly made her whole once again.  
"I love you Ezio…"  
"I love you too Zita…"

Cesare searched for his mistress in the crowd but could not find her. Alas when he saw her she was in the farthest corner with a man dressed in white robes. He knew who it was. It was that bastardo Ezio Auditore. Before he could even call for the Papal guards he heard a scream so loud coming from the Pope's table. Cesare turned around seeing his father convulse with the gold cup on the floor.  
"Damn it! Damn all of you Assassins!" Cesare shouted and pulled out his gun from his side.

Zita saw him and urged her husband to escape "No, I don't want to leave you again!" Ezio exclaimed holding on to her longer than he was supposed to. Zita suppressed a sob and hugged him back. "He won't harm me for long my love, but before you leave I have something to confess to you…" she said.  
Ezio had only three minutes left to flee the area but he anxious to what his wife has to say.

"…I bore Cesare's son…" she said then she was suddenly taken away from him by none other than Cesare himself.  
"You…bore his son?" Ezio repeated. His emotions were mixed and evident on his face. Dazed, Angered, Betrayed, Confused and Heartbroken. "Quite the contrary Ezio Auditore, she was actually quite happy about it too" Cesare said. "No Ezio! Don't believe him! He raped me and I had no choice!" Zita shouted "Quiet you ungrateful whore!" Cesare exclaimed pointing his gun at her.  
Ezio stared at his wife wishing that everything she had just said weren't true. "Ezio…" Zita sobbed "I love only you…please believe me Ezio…I really do…" she whimpered.

Cesare huffed and faced Ezio "You have a choice now Ezio…your life for your betrayer of a wife or hers?" he said. "You know Ezio, I greatly admire how far you went for revenge. Do so now so that your life will be rid of this filth you once loved" "No Ezio don't listen to him! All he said were lies! I never even loved him!" Zita cried.  
"Oh? Then what about those nights we've spent together?" Cesare grabbed a fistful of her hair and made her look up at Ezio "And what about our Ambra huh? Have you forgotten who has given you such a gift a man could have ever done for a woman?" Zita continued whimpering under his grasp and she could no longer see Ezio's image behind her tears.

"God has His ways. He had a reason to take Ambra from me…" "And what would that be?" his grip tightened and she whimpered.  
"Because an innocent child like that, should never be raised by a father like you!" Zita exclaimed and spat on his face. Cesare stepped back and slapped her hard across the face that blood oozed out of her mouth. Ezio flinched a bit seeing her sprawled on the ground like that.

"Ezio please…" she said reaching out toward him. "I have loved you and only you…I have only thought about you even in the death of Uccello, on my first day in Venice and the day I was captured…only you amore mio…" Ezio looked down at her then she touched his leather boots and kissed his feet as an act of forgiveness. "Please amore…" she sobbed quietly.  
All of a sudden she heard the boots squeak and she felt him move away. "No, no, no Ezio!" she cried wrapping her arms around his leg to stop him from leaving. However she was kicked off and she watched him stand on the open window.

"Ezio! EZIO! **EZIO**!" she screamed but he stood there, his back facing her, ignoring her screams of help and amnesty.  
Cesare couldn't help but chuckle then he laughed aloud. "This is the most tragic scene I have ever seen in my entire life! After how many years of being together, this is what happens! And now Zita" Cesare grabbed her and turned her around to face him. He paused for a minute, suddenly seeing the young woman in that party he had fallen in love with many years ago. The smile, the blushing cheeks and her laughter.

"You…shall be executed…for killing the Holy Father of Roma…your death penalty…by decapitation!" Cesare exclaimed that made Zita shudder. Suddenly they heard glass shattering and the guards surrounding them were killed by arrows through the chest and throat. The disciples of Ezio entered the conclave and attacked Cesare Borgia, Zita stumbled back and was in the arms of her beloved husband.  
"Forgive me amore…forgive me…" she whispered and cried against his chest. Ezio smiled beneath his hood and kissed the top of her head lightly. "Nothing is true, everything is permitted" he said and then carried Zita in his arms. He whistled for his apprentices and jumped out of the window and into a flower cart.

The morning sun arose in the horizon on the beautiful town of Chianciano Terme.  
"Oh you're so adorable little Cosimo, you're the very light that will guide me in my most darkest times, yes you are cara mio" Aria said as she cooed her child. Cirino rushed into her room heavily panting, "Cirino what is it?" Aria asked him. "You have got to see this" he said. The two siblings ran out of the room and to the stairs of the villa.  
There Aria saw them enter the town. "Mother?" she said in disbelief. There she was, her mother and father back together in each other's arms.  
"Mother!" Cirino shouted and he ran all the way towards her. Zita cried in sheer happiness and was welcomed back home with an embrace from her family.

1504 Chianciano Terme  
Candles illuminated the dark bedroom of Maria Isabella Auditore. Her parents and her family surrounded her little bed as the doctor told them that she doesn't have much time left to live.  
Zita quietly sat beside her daughter and pushed back her dark hair, her fevers wouldn't cease since last month and her spine had gone worse.  
Ten year old Isabella smiled at her mother lovingly, "Mama…am I going to heaven?" she asked her. "Of course you are dear" Zita replied sweetly, tears falling on to the bed sheets. Isabella smiled and pulled her porcelain doll close to her.

"I'm happy to have been your daughter even for just eight years" she said "Ten dear" Ezio corrected her and went to sit on the other side of the bed. "Oh" Isabella giggled then coughed. Even the great Master Assassin could no longer hold back his tears seeing his youngest daughter dying like this.  
"Mamma, you're the best mother ever…a lot of children would be jealous if they find out you're my mother" Isabella smiled sweetly even in her final moments. "I know dear" Zita held her daughter's small hand and kissed it.  
"Papa" she looked up at her father and Ezio smiled down at her. "I love you…" she said then she closed her eyes. Forever asleep.

On 1504, Cesare had been exiled to Spain for his crimes. All of his lands were acquired by the Papal States. He was imprisoned in Castle of La Mota from which he escaped and joined his brother in law John III of Navarre. In his service, Cesare died in the siege of Viana on 1507 by the hands of the Assassin siblings, Aria and Cirino Auditore along with their father Ezio Auditore who was already forty-eight years old.  
By that time Ezio had renovated Rome back to its glorious days and became a new city of heritage. Chianciano Terme later became its training grounds for young novices.  
Monteriggioni too was restored back to its glory but left the Auditore villa to ruins.

In April 1509, Zita was reunited with her little sister, Caterina Sforza.  
Her palazzo was magnificent as ever as she entered the bedroom of her dying sister. Caterina had been struck with pneumonia. She had recovered from it for a few days but had a relapse of the disease.  
Zita sat beside her sister on the bed and smiled down at her. "Caterina…It's me, Zita" the Lady of Forli opened her eyes just for a bit and looked up at Zita's amber ones.  
"Zita" she said smiling happily reaching out to touch her sister's face but then her hand fell limp on her sister's lap. Zita sighed shuddering a bit and kissed her sister's head lightly.  
"The Tiger of Forli who had frightened all of Romagna, has died…" she said and cradled Caterina in her arms.  
In that same year, Ezio had been granted entrance back to his hometown, there he trained Cirino and Giovanni, his only sons, to become Assassins.

By 1510, Aria Auditore-du Bois became a Master Assassin and brought her seven children to be trained in Paris, France under her tutelage and from her husband Arnaud du Bois.

Ezio had led the Order of the Assassin for at least forty more years. His beloved wife Zita D'Angelo-Sforza, the Lady of Milan and Savoy, died at the age of sixty-four on September 10 1526.

_"The glorious lady of my heart, soul and mind has passed away and soon I shall follow her in her steps and we will meet again someday my love. You are truly the Mother of the Assassins"_

* * *

He wondered so briefly to whomever that was sitting by the red couches enjoying her martini with her friends.  
He merely watched her from afar but when she approached him, something inside of him burst like he was expecting her all these years.  
Desmond leaned forward and smiled at the young lady before him. She ordered another round of cocktails to be served and secretly asked for him as well. Now that's something you don't get everyday.

He prepared their drinks and handed it over to her. She winked at him and gave him her phone number in thanks.  
Desmond grinned even wider and looked at the folded napkin that held the beautiful handwriting of the lady. _Angela Bosworth_ it says, The name glides on his lips like ice.  
That won't be the last time they would meet. Because history repeats itself over and over again. In different times, in different places and in different people.

Ezio Auditore da Firenze 1459-1546

Zita Auditore (née D'Angelo-Sforza) 1462-1526

_END_

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OMG! I can't believe I have just ended such an epic fanfic! LIKE EVER!

For those who are fans of my fanfics...have no fear! Me and my classmate have already planned for a new fanfic and the lead character is none other than *dun dun* FEDERICO AUDITORE!  
Yes, I know. Another AU story

...

But you still love it don't ya? :D

Oh and if ever you're the one who loves unhappy endings put the word **'Templar'** in your reviews to see the deleted chapter! HOORAY! SO GO ON REVIEW! xD


	21. Alternate Ending Goodbye

And here you have it! The alternate ending!...

It's kinda boring isn't it?

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"Ezio! EZIO! EZIO!" she screamed but he stood there, his back facing her, ignoring her screams of help and amnesty.  
Cesare couldn't help but chuckle then he laughed aloud. "This is the most tragic scene I have ever seen in my entire life! After how many years of being together, this is what happens! And now Zita" Cesare grabbed her and turned her around to face him. He paused for a minute, suddenly seeing the young woman in that party he had fallen in love with many years ago. The smile, the blushing cheeks and her laughter.

"You…shall be executed…for killing the Holy Father of Roma…your death penalty…by decapitation!" Cesare exclaimed that made Zita shudder. Suddenly they heard glass shattering, Ezio was no longer on the window sill from which he stood. Zita quickly ran over to it and looked down below seeing the Assassin run through St. Peter's square in the dead of the night followed by his disciples.  
She screamed out his name as hard as her lungs could allow her but he was gone. He was gone from her sight just like mist. The cold wind ruffled her long red hair and her skin shimmered under the pale moonlight. "Ezio…"

Cesare stared down at her with all the anger he could muster but he could not. He told his guards to bring Zita home and he would 'investigate' on his father's murder.  
The woman did not show any signs of restraint when they took her away from the window. Her tears have ceased to fall and she was blankly staring into nothing.

When they took her home she gave no signs of communication at all. Even when she was pushed out of the carriage, she stumbled towards her palazzo and was caught by Arianna and Alfonso. They tried their best to make their mistress speak but to no avail she wouldn't.  
All the servants could do was to help their mistress back to her bedroom to rest.

Cesare came to her palazzo at three in the morning and walked into Zita's bedroom seeing the shocked woman sleeping serenely in her bed. He took his cape and set it on the chair near him. He took quiet steps towards her and rested beside her. "Do not worry mio amore…I will keep you from them…and I'll make sure you will live happily with me" he whispered into her ear and held her close to him.

The death of the Pope had reached the entire city the following week.  
Zita couldn't care less since she was in a somewhat catatonic state due to the shock she had experienced. Her loyal servant Alfonso had died through torture without uttering one single word about the murderer.  
The followers of Pope Alexander VI demanded justice and wanted the murderer to be found and killed.

Cesare knew of course who it was. But he wouldn't dare lose her again. He decided to take a break from all of his conquers and disguised as an illness.  
He took Zita away from Rome and kept her safe in Piombino, one of the cities he had recently claimed as his own.  
She was settled into a villa near the sea where she would have her afternoon tea with Cesare in the balcony.

Cesare had even brought along Giovanni and Louise for Zita to take care of. The mistress began showing signs of progress through these children and Cesare was happy enough to know. All the while the woman was enjoying the company of these two children, a messenger arrived to tell Cesare that there was a witness to the murder.  
His fear had came true and he had no time to stop it. He did what he could to keep Zita within Piombino without the Papal States knowing about it. But since the new Pope had ended his reign too early, an enemy of the Borgias soon rose into power.  
The new Pope issued the capture of the murderer known as Cerise Chevalier.

Cesare paced about in his office thinking about a way to bring Zita somewhere farther away. Paris maybe. She had a home there right? She could stay there for as long as she liked until that bastard Pope Julius' reign would end.  
"Cesare" the general paused upon hearing the voice of his mistress. Zita sat on her winged chair in a mauve gown, her hair let down with a few pearls ornamenting it. "Just let them come…I'll die eventually no matter what…" she said.

"Nonsense! I will have my army escort you to France if I have to!" Cesare exclaimed. The woman across the room frowned deeply and leaned back against her chair, "Either way…I have long left the Chevalier house into ruins, no longer am I part of the Assassins. I am but a mere homeless woman now, lost in her own little world…"  
She suddenly felt two hands hold her gently and she looked up into Cesare's face. "Do not fear for anything else but fear for the loss of your first born son…and your daughter" she whispered and gently kissed him for one last time.

As they were dining quietly, they heard the shouts and screams of the mob that was heading towards the villa. Zita sat quietly there on the dinner table beside Cesare.  
There was nothing left for him too back in Roma, the enemies of his father had ransacked the treasuries and there was not a single ducat left in their vaults.  
He sighed, relaxing into his chair and tried hard to concentrate on eating. A hand reached out to hold his and he gazed up into Zita's peaceful face. She smiled at him longingly and then the doors burst open to let the mob into their home.

All that was heard was the cries of little Louise as she was being carried by Zita. They brought the couple back to Roma for trial against the Papal States. Pope Julius II had Cesare exiled in Spain for his crimes. Yet he still had to judge the woman who had killed Pope Alexander VI. He had to thank her for destroying the very corrupt Father of Rome but the people wanted justice still and would demand an execution be held for her.

Zita was kept in Castel Sant'Angelo in a prison cell made only for her. She sat there on the wooden chair looking at the candlelight. The pope was generous to give her the right food in thanks for everything.  
But he had to stay true to the people of the Vatican city. That justice must be served either way.  
He made a quick visit to her cell which oddly smelled of mint and rosewater. Zita greeted him formally and even tried to welcome him.  
"…Forgive me child, but as the Holy Father I cannot disobey the will of the people of the state. They are the ones that keep the country alive and I cannot disapprove anything else" he said in the most calm voice he could produce.

Zita smiled at him and told the pope that she was alright with everything, the very moment she poured that poison into the cup.  
"Do you want to confess your sins child?" he asked her. Zita smiled yet again, almost showing her teeth at him and said "Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Proceed Father"

The execution of Zita D'Angelo Sforza would be held on September 10 1504. The same day of her wedding anniversary. She requested one last thing from her lady in waiting. Her pink sapphire necklace.  
"I promised my daughter I would give this to her and I would. Do this for me Arianna, as my last call to my family" she said. Her servant took the necklace and hurried out of the prison. Never to return again to her beloved mistress.

On the day of the execution, many have gathered at Campo de' Fiori.  
A stage had been made and an executioner wielding an axe stood there waiting for the accused to be brought there.  
Zita stared outside her barred window sighing, she picked up her tea cup and sipped her drink before the guards suddenly came in and took her away.  
She wore a simple white gown with her hair down. People stretched their necks to see who it was that killed the Holy Father. It was the Borgia mistress.  
Zita walked up to the stage with her hands tied behind her back. The executioner forced her to kneel down in front of all hose people. As she did she caught sight of a figure hiding behind one of the pillars of the nearby house.  
"Ezio…" she muttered quietly.

The executioner wrapped a blindfold around her eyes as a custom to beheadings. She inhaled deeply and pretended she was back in Palazzo Auditore, being greeted by Petruccio, Claudia and Federico. Her dogs running up to her barking, her second parents Maria and Giovanni smiling warmly at her and her husband walking up to give her a kiss.  
"Arrivederci" she said and then smiled even when the axe came down on her, silencing her forever.

The crowd cheered on as the executioner raised the head of the murderer.  
Ezio watched from his hiding place with a tear trickling down his face. He held the necklace tightly in one hand and then gradually left before he is seen.

Zita's body was never recovered after the death sentence and was buried in an unmarked grave beneath the Sistine Chapel.


End file.
